Advice from a Student: How to Excel in Your VHS Learning Class

I chose my school’s full remote option at the beginning of this school year, in addition to the course I chose from VHS Learning (Ghosts and Haunting in Literature). It took a matter of a little over a week to get used to how things worked, and if you follow my advice, it will be just as smooth sailing for you.

In the beginning of each week in VHS Learning, the teacher assigned a checklist of each assignment due that week. Each assignment had its own checkbox, and every time I finished an assignment completely, I checked it off and moved on to the next one. It became very evident at the start of week two that using the checklist to my advantage was the right thing to do. Keeping track of assignments was tricky, especially the larger ones that required more work than others. For example, in the Ghosts and Haunting in Literature course, it required an essay in the middle of the semester that was to be completed over a couple of weeks. Keeping track of what parts I had to do helped a lot.

Some assignments, like discussions that have two parts that are due at different dates, were especially tricky. My initial discussion posts were due on that Friday, and comments following it were due the Tuesday afterwards. Using the checklist helped me stay on track, and also schedule for when I should do each assignment. On the checklist, I wrote down each day of the week. Then, I scheduled an assignment or two each day. It helped me stay organized, and also give myself brain breaks in between each assignment if I stayed on schedule. Using the checklists provided is the best thing I did for myself. 

On the topic of staying on schedule, procrastination is something I had to overcome. Before I was able to condition myself to stay on track, I used to put off assignments until the last minute, and it became very overwhelming. VHS Learning provides a week’s worth of work, so leaving it until the last days of the week wasn’t ideal. It helps students, including myself, learn how to manage time better. It was when I realized how long each assignment was taking to complete is when I was able to overcome that daunting procrastination. It felt satisfying to get my work done at a good pace. I didn’t feel overwhelmed, and the time in between each assignment allowed my brain recharge for the next one so I gave my best each time. Staying on pace played a big role in how well I completed each assignment. In simple terms, no procrastinating meant best quality work. 

Overall, the best advice I can tell anyone who wants to take a VHS Learning course is that keeping track of assignments is the best possible thing to do. Whether it’s with the checklist provided, or with any other type of planning one would like to use, is helpful. Staying on the schedule is the second-best possible thing I did, and I suggest it for you as well.