R-r-r-r-ing!!!  The alarm clock goes off, you get up, you go to the bathroom, freshen yourself up, eat your breakfast, then wait for a few minutes with your ears perked up for that familiar honking of your school jeep.

Oh, how time flies by so swiftly, it seems like it was only yesterday when this daily routine took place. Now, you wake up on a Monday morning faced with the same day-to-day rigors of a normal class day, but somehow different. 

Now that classes are in full-swing, here are some helpful tips to students in the higher levels to help them prepare for their in-person classroom interaction.

• Arrive early. 

Come early for class, at least a few minutes before it begins. While waiting for your class to start, go over previous presentations during your online conferences uploaded at Schoology and ready your class materials to put you in the right perspective as soon as the discussion gets going.

• Review what has been covered.

Go over details of advanced readings recommended by your teacher and better yet read relevant supplemental references that can help you prepare for the lesson. This is best done during the weekend or right ahead of class. Even preparing the night before will help you to get the most out of the discussions during the class.

• Anticipate what’s coming.

Try to think about what most likely will be asked by your teacher during the discussion. Will a particular topic be covered? Are you ready to contribute something when you will be called upon to recite? If you have been assigned to read a longer story or concept, but aren’t sure about which part to focus on, here are some tips:

• Go over the learning targets. This will give you a clue about which part the discussion will center on. It is virtually impossible to process information when you have no goal to achieve.
• For content subjects, skim the article by reading subheadings and viewing the content under those subheadings. Begin applying what you see within the text and images to what you already know.,
• Lastly, identify words that you’re unfamiliar with so that you won’t get confused or unsure of its meaning when you hear the same term(s) again in lecture.

• Assess your understanding.

Try to check your understanding of the previous lesson. Are there questions you have about the material? Are there things you’re still confused about?

Use your preparation time to clarify things you don’t understand.

• Formulate your questions and comments.

In order to participate actively, try to have your questions or comments ready ahead of time. You may not be able to ask all your questions or contribute with the comments at hand, but you’re more likely to engage actively if you come prepared with these things.

Reference: https://academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu/how-prepare-class