How to Have Academic Success While Living at Calamigos
Because Calamigos is such an idealistic place to live, it can be hard to focus on our one true purpose as students: to succeed in our classes. That being said, I want to share with you a few of the things that I have personally done to make succeeding in school while living at Calamigos both easy and enjoyable.
One: Go to Class Synchronously, Even if You Don’t Have To
It can be really easy to opt to not attend class synchronously. As students, we often get tired, feel we have something better to do, or are simply not in the mood. However, I would argue that one of the most crucial ways to succeed academically is to continue attending live classes. Because Calamigos has so many students living on the property, you can likely find a friend in one of your classes. One of my neighbors on the ranch was in my religion class so we ended up taking it together weekly. That time together kept me focused and became a highlight of my week!
Two: Establish a Routine
Especially during COVID, it can be really tempting to “go with the flow” and resist establishing a routine. While I fully believe we should be living with a sense of adventure and spontaneity, for academic success, having an established routine can be incredibly helpful. For instance:
Establish mealtimes.
Create intentional time to invest in your friendships.
Carve out moments to do things you enjoy (e.g. playing games, drawing, or working out).
Do your schoolwork, but not in your bed! Studying in bed limits focus, decreases productivity, and hurts sleep (American College of Healthcare Sciences).
Whatever you do, just make sure you find some consistency so you can manage your time well, a crucial skill to both success in life and school.
Three: Get Outside Between Classes
Calamigos is such a beautiful place to live! No matter where you are residing on the property, I can assure you that you will only be steps away from a beautiful spot to walk, sit, read, or call your family. I cannot tell you how life-giving the Calamigos grounds have been to me during COVID and this season of online schooling. I encourage you to get outside between classes to both enjoy some vitamin D and re-energize yourself before your next lecture. Your likelihood of focusing and engaging in the material will be so much greater if you have given your chance to “reset” in your 10 minute break. Why not reset outside?
Four: Utilize the Calamigos Beach Club
I cannot put into words how much I love the beach club! It has WiFi, beautiful views, lots of table space, comfortable couches, and (sometimes) yummy food. In these times of online learning, I like to compare the Calamigos Beach Club to a coffee shop (with no coffee, sadly). It gives you a reason to get out of the house and do school from a location that is not your desk at home. This outing will refocus your attention and give you a reason to be hyper-productive.
By: Morgan Clinton