FRISCO, Texas – With many schools transitioning to online classes, FC Dallas midfielder Paxton Pomykal offers some advice to help students adjust to virtual education.
In order to focus on his budding soccer career, Pomykal completed his final two years of high school completely online. Since graduating, he’s continued his education by studying sports marketing virtually through Southern New Hampshire University. Now an online school veteran, Pomykal shares some of tips to make sure students are getting the most out of their coursework.
“The biggest tip I can give someone that’s new to virtual learning is commitment and creating a routine,” Pomykal says. “When you’re in regular school, you have classes at the same time every day and you get in a routine of going to class, going to lunch, figuring out what to do at specific times throughout the day. When you’re at home, you may be waking up at different times and have different distractions that may throw off your time clock.
“So, get in a routine of doing the same things at certain times. Wake up at the same time, eat at the same time, do your studies at the same time every day. Once you get in that routine your brain just starts knowing what you need to be doing at the right time every day.”
Pomykal also advises students to maintain a clear workspace to help minimize distractions when studying at home.
“For me, I get the most done when I have the least amount of distractions as possible,” he says. "Find a quiet spot where you can get away and throw some headphones on. My desk is always clean because then I have less to worry about. I like a clean desk so I can focus completely on the task at hand.”
While it’s not exclusive to online learning, procrastination – Pomykal warns – is a major pitfall for maintaining a healthy workflow. Without the help of a teacher to constantly keep you on track, time management becomes even more key.
“Procrastination is obviously an easy habit to fall into when you do virtual learning because, for me at least, all my assignments are due weekly. You have to be careful not to wait until the end of the week. If you do a little bit every single day and get into the habit of that, it saves you from spending 12 hours on the last day before it’s due. You have to stay on top of it and not bombard yourself with too much work at the end of the week.”
For Pomykal, the independent nature of online school is a major upside but concedes it may not fit everyone’s learning style perfectly.
“I like virtual learning because you can make the most of your time. You’re on your own pace. You can be super efficient at home just banging things out and going at your own pace. Some people learn better on their own, some people learn better when someone’s teaching them directly, and some learn by just reading about things. Everyone’s different.”
Pomykal also had some words of encouragement for any students having trouble adjusting their new learning environment.
“At the end of the day, this is temporary,” Pomykal concluded. “So just bear with it. You know that you’re doing a big part for your community by doing virtual learning right now because it helps keep everyone safe. You guys are a part of something bigger and this’ll end in the future so just look forward to that. Just know that you’re all helping out big time.”
