The number of online learners spiked during and in the aftermath of the pandemic. The number of users of online learning platforms is expected to exceed 900 million by 2027. User penetration is also projected to grow from 9 percent in 2022 to more than 11 percent in 2027.
While the educational benefits of online learning are somewhat obvious, we often turn a blind eye to the varying impacts of online learning on students’ health. Those impacts are not always necessarily positive.
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Isolation
Spending long hours at home glued to your monitor does not bode well for your physician and mental health. It looks convenient to be able to stagger your sessions, but the downside is that you have less face-to-face interaction with fellow students and tutors. As social animals, we do need to see people in person more often than we might think.
While benefiting from the flexibility of online learning options, try not to abuse your freedom to gradually turn yourself into some sort of a recluse. If and when you feel overwhelmed with continuous college assignments and tasks, remember that you can always get professional help. Make the most of the reliable and trustworthy services of TopEssayWriting. Let professional writers take care of your tasks, ensuring top-notch quality and timely delivery.
Fatigue
Many students report experiencing fatigue related to endless online sessions. Interestingly, when people schedule their online classes, they rarely allow breaks between sessions. Consequently, they end up with three or more back-to-back classes, which are tough to deal with. The impact of continuous sessions without breaks can have a detrimental effect on students’ health. Make sure you give yourself enough breathing space to avoid burnout.
Stress and Anxiety
Online learning is also associated with stress and anxiety. The pandemic exacerbated the impact as students were stripped of the choice to alternate between remote and class-based learning sessions. When you spot the signs of distress and anxiety, don’t let them build up. Change something in your daily routine.
Mix things up. Go out and about to increase the level of your social interactions. The earlier you address the issue, the more likely you are to prevent or avoid negative consequences.
Study-life balance
One of the toughest things is to ensure a healthy study-life balance when you are a college student. With a lot of assignments and tests, one can easily get sucked into an incessant process of completing tasks, often at the expense of personal life. Don’t let this happen to you. You have the right to happiness, and there is no way you can exercise it by killing yourself with excessive studies.
You should also choose your online learning platforms carefully. Some platforms are designed to provide customized services to students. Pick ones that can cater to your specific needs and interests. They should be able to adjust their schedule to let you focus on other priorities as well.
Eating habits
The negative impact of online learning is often manifested in distorted or harmful eating habits. When you turn your bedroom into a study and a dining room, you might lose control over what you eat, how often you eat, and when you eat. Gradual weight gain is an obvious risk, and you might find it difficult to keep tabs on your pounds if you force yourself to be locked in your room for long periods of time.
Final Thoughts
Online learning platforms have created a host of new opportunities for those who, for various reasons, could not benefit from traditional or classroom-based educational opportunities. But it has not always been plain sailing. Online learning comes with a cost.
It can take a toll on students’ health if they are unaware of the possible risks associated with prolonged hours spent indoors and in isolation from the rest of the world. I hope this article helps you protect yourself from these risks to fully enjoy the benefits of online education.
