Last week marked a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began and we first shifted to online learning. Because these changes have affected how—and how often—we interact with people, it’s important to find ways to engage with others safely. Below are four ideas for how you can study, an activity often done alone, with classmates and friends:

1. Form a study group. Study groups with classmates can be easier to form because everyone is learning the same material. Ask a few peers in your class if they would like to form a study group and then plan to meet over Zoom, FaceTime, or another online platform on a regular basis.
2. Study with your camera on. Study groups can be more difficult to form with friends who aren’t in the same class. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t study together! Invite a few friends to an online study session and encourage them to bring whatever course materials they need to review. If everyone is comfortable, you all can also turn on your cameras. Being able to talk to and see others as you study is a great way to enjoy each other’s company even as you work.
3. Connect through other technology. Maybe you remember talking to friends on the phone in elementary or middle school. Or maybe you regularly talk on the phone now! Whatever your experience with talking on the phone, consider it as one of many alternatives for connecting with others when studying. Since phone calls don’t usually have a video component like Zoom and many other online call programs do, it can sometimes feel more comfortable while still giving you the chance to hear someone else’s voice.
4. Meet if it’s safe. Especially as the weather warms up, there will be more opportunities to go outside, where it’s safer to meet. Consider setting up a socially distanced study session with classmates or friends on the Quad or another place outside.