It has always been a popular question since the times when social networks became a usual thing and people have started with various forums and commenting practices. As the majority of people were forced to learn online because of the pandemic issues, we are facing various online conflicts once again. Our Nerdify reviews team came up with a list of practical recommendations that will help you keep online conflicts under control or avoid them entirely. Unfortunately, sometimes it is not possible to ignore them or remain unbiased since other people will try to and do their best to get us involved. Take time to read our helpful guide and learn how to cope and become a better negotiator!

1. Learn to take screen snapshots. Since it is not possible to avoid conflicts online as we just cannot control other people or make them think logically (some just cannot cope with the practice!), learn how to make screen captures. After all, the best defense is providing clear evidence of online misconduct and keeping all the things documented. If something has been done wrong, a screenshot is usually enough to prove your innocence or show the sides of the conflict. It is also a way to avoid legal trouble in case things go overboard. It can be talking to your friends or even dealing with a nasty college professor online.

2. Approach mediation. This practice is the primary tool in conflict resolution all over the world. Starting from business negotiations to military conflicts, it stands for the invitation of a third, unbiased party who can analyze the situation, keep things private, and help you come up with the list of requirements or demands for the opposite side. This practice can be used anywhere and you can ask a person who you both trust to help you settle down the conflict and find the terms that will fit both sides of the conflict (more or less). Even our Nerdify reviews team has used this practice in a practical environment and has found it quite helpful!

3. Every action online can be logged and tracked. Start each online session by turning to this important concept and remind about it for those who start the conflict or act immaturely. According to our Nerdify reviews team, this reminder often helps to cool people down as they definitely have things they fear and do not want others to remember. This simple trick has helped us more than once, so make sure that you remind your offenders about online responsibility and the legal consequences of their actions. It relates to any threats, cyberbullying, or any other type of online harassment that you may encounter. Do not leave it as it is!

4. Avoid sharing personal information. Do not ever share anything personal with someone during an online conversation even when talking to your friends. If it is not overly critical for your conversation, keep any sensitive information to yourself because it can be easily used against you by anyone who may gain access to your conversation. Of course, it does not mean getting paranoid and deleting every message on each device, yet keeping things accurate and watching what you say and share is a good reminder to avoid any online disputes and conflicts in the future. It works wonders just like ignoring arrogant, nasty, and hypocritical people.

5. Learn how to say “No”. Since we have already reminded you of the nasty types you can encounter online, our Nerdify reviews team urges you to learn how to say “no!” and how to shut things off before it goes way too far. Sometimes it is totally useful to fight against the windmills by trying to prove your point. Learn to let things go and switch off by not focusing on negative emotions that are so easily encountered online. Some people are there for the sake of stirring things up, so do not feed the trolls. Let them fade in their foolishness!

6. Stay true to your beliefs and values. No matter what online conflict you may face as a college student or as a parent of a child who is learning online, remember to stand for your beliefs and values. Do not ever give up or choose compromises if it does not feel right. Our team has encountered numerous educational conflicts online in 2020, which have been varied in their nature, yet as soon as people would start standing for what they believe in, the conflicts would end peacefully. All it takes is making a point and sounding confident to defeat your opponents with evidence and the facts.

7. Approach advocacy groups online. If you feel that things have gone serious and you require legal help and protection, turn to the local anti-bullying committee and seek advocacy groups online immediately!

We’ve had all the fun. We’ve been to concerts and movies. We’ve spent time with family. We’ve hung out with old friends and bonded with new acquaintances. For those who don’t do much socializing, we’ve had our me-time and enough rest. But like all good things, now it has come to an end. Spring break is over and now we must all go back to the busy school lives we lived before the break. It’s now time quit checking Reddit reviews and check out what Nerdify reviews team suggests to get that assignment done. Just how difficult can that be? For most people, it’s quite the task. You see, making the transition back to the life you were only glad to take a breather from just some weeks ago is daunting for several reasons. The biggest factor, however, is the fact that you have to mentally reinvigorate and recalibrate your mind and body to go back to old routines and ways of doing things, even though your body loves the fun and won’t readily cooperate with you immediately. Anyways, the school won’t wait for your body and mind to come around, will it? That leaves you with no option but to consciously whip your mind and body into shape. The next part of this blog post will give you 5 tips that can help motivate you and keep the anxieties away as you return to school.

1. Plan Ahead

One way to keep the anxieties away and prepare your mind for a return to college life is by putting plans in place beforehand. This will send subtle messages to your subconscious and begin to put you in the mood for a return back to school. But that’s not the only reason to plan your return to school. Clearing the hurdles and making your transition smooth is also important for other reasons. If you work while in school, for example, you might want to draw up a new schedule to meet up with both school and work obligations.

You could also talk to your advisor and ask for your syllabus to have an idea of how much work is involved in the coursework for the rest of the school year.

2. Re-establish Your Routine

Before spring break, you most likely had a schedule you were following. You had a routine that helped you plan your time between all the activities you’re involved with in college. Now that spring break has come to an end, you might want to pick up that routine again, or draw up a new one in tandem with your coursework, social and other activities for the rest of the year.

Try getting into this routine some days before school resumes. This will help put your body in shape for what’s to come.

3. Quit Procrastinating

According to stats, only about 56 percent of people who enroll for a degree will see it to the finish. Scary stats right? But have you ever asked yourself why this stat exists?

It takes discipline, focus, and diligence to start a degree and complete it. A lot of this will be hinged on knowing the right things to do and doing them at the right time. To whip your mind into shape, you must do everything possible to stay true to your plans and routines. Every time you postpone or procrastinate, you do not only put your own goals in danger, but you’re also sending the wrong signals to your brain.

4. Set Attainable Goals

It is not just enough to create a new routine or continue with the old one, it is also important to give yourself a believable “why?”. Why should you follow this routine? Why should you attend this 8 AM class? What will this coursework add to your life? Setting attainable goals will help you answer the “why?” questions. These goals will be the fuel in your jet for days when you won’t feel up to them. For days when you will wake up and feel like there’s no point in trying. These goals will keep you on your feet and motivated.

5. Be Mindful

It’s the post-spring break. The classes will begin to pour in thick and fast. You’ll have assignments pouring in from all angles. Thankfully for you, you have a “why”, you have a routine, you have set the right priorities, but now you need to be mindful as well. Mindfulness should be a key component if you want to have a fantastic continuation of your school year. It’ll take a certain level of calm and clarity to get your head back in the right place. Look for a quiet place and consciously reset your mind to align with the goals you have set for your return to school.

Now that you’ve read this article, I’m sure going back to school now doesn’t look so daunting anymore. Beyond that, putting all these in place shows how serious and determined you are to end the school year on a high. Sometimes in life, that could be the difference between success and failure— the right attitude towards the important things. Now you can go back to sifting through school assignments, Nerdify reviews, Reddit reviews, and other aspects of your life. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to have fun!

This time Nerdify decided to speak up on a kinda tuff theme: a decision to drop a class.

When a college student feels like dropping a class, the moment comes with an endless stream of questions, apprehension, uncertainty, and stress. It does not matter whether you have registered for a class that was not exactly what you have expected or you cannot cope with a part-time job and doing well in each class, – you still want to know when (and if!) a decision to drop the class has to be made. The choice is never an easy one because it may feel like you have given up your future and failed. No, it is not the case and it does not mean that you are not smart enough! On the contrary, it is an important decision that a student can make due to a variety of reasons. The question is in how will it affect the graduation schedule, financial aid, and your life in general.

Dropping a Class or Withdrawing?  

Before we dive into the depth of decisions and the reasons, let us learn the difference between dropping the class and withdrawing, which is not always the same! The difference is that the majority of colleges and universities have a clear policy, which allows for two week period to add or drop the class at the start of each semester. It is a period that allows you to schedule your classes and carry out the changes without a penalty. If you choose to drop the class during this particular period, the class will not appear on your official transcript list. In other words, there will be no sign of your enrollment anywhere. However, there is one thing to keep in mind that relates to financial aid program! If the class is dropped, there is a return of funds policy that may come in power in most cases. Now when the two weeks period is over, your action is defined as withdrawal, which is an entirely different matter! To cut the long story short – your official transcript list will have a “W” mark next to the class you have withdrawn from.  

Some Things to Be Aware Of:

If you choose to withdraw from the class or drop it, as most students still refer to the practice, you should be aware of the following:

• It is possible that you will be charged for tuition fees in certain conditions, so make sure to review the terms and conditions before you make a final decision.
• Keep an eye for specific dates and the deadlines that you have to follow! Make sure that your schedule with the other classes is not affected by the change.
• Your overall progress may be affected in case you do not have a sufficient amount of study hours.
• While you will have a “W” on your graduation transcript if you withdraw from the class, a “W” grade in any class dropped will NOT affect your GPA!
• In order to receive a financial aid from your college or university, you have to complete at least 70% of your classes taken successfully. It means that F or W is defined as unsuccessful, unlike D or anything better!
• You need at least twelve credit hours to be considered a full-time student. Do not ever drop below 12 credit hours, so you do not find yourself in a situation without insurance and financial aid!
• Check with your college or university about special class dropping policy in terms of your progress through the semester and other rules that may be applicable!

Before You Drop The Class:

Before you decide to drop the class and implement changes to your life and professional career, always talk to your college advisor first! One of the crucial reasons to do so is that they may be aware of specific implications and future challenges that you may not even know about! As you talk to the advisor, make sure that you ask these questions to help both of you to decide what to do and see whether it is right or wrong:

• Will dropping of this particular class affect my graduation date and an overall academic schedule?
• Are we dealing with a prerequisite course that a student can only take once a year?
• Is this particular class necessary for graduation this year? In other words, if you already two semesters close to graduation date, your decision may affect the day.
• Will dropping of this class affect my financial aid support and the scholarship?
• Will I have fewer credits in total? If so, how will it affect my financial state and is there a funds return policy?
• Will dropping a class influence my full-time student status? It is always better to ask because it affects your applicability for financial student aid and a scholarship among other things your college or a university may offer!

Now it is only you who can decide whether you should drop a class or not, therefore, ask yourself these three simple questions:

• Why do I want to drop the class and what is the true reason for that?
• Can I settle down the issue without dropping?
• What kind of help and what changes do I need to continue with the class?

While it is hardly possible to list all the reasons that may be suitable or not suitable for dropping the class, it is most likely because the class seems to be “too difficult” or you “have to work and just cannot manage it all”. No matter what your particular case is, let us deal with the aforementioned situations and see what can be done.

You are trapped in a situation when you have to work way too much to keep yourself going or to earn a little extra. The first case is a reason to ask for additional financial aid if you are determined to do your best academically, but financial struggles get in the way. Now the second case is not really worth ruining your studies because it is much wiser to avoid dropping the class and focus on your long-term goals instead of treating yourself with additional earnings. Ask yourself about what matters more to you, but remember that it is your life and that studying well always rewards you in the future!

Now the second case is when the class seems to be too difficult or not what you have expected it to be. If it is the first case and things seem unclear to you, remember that dropping a class is not the best solution since you can ask your university tutor or a college professor for help. A bit of a guidance and a list of your concerns addressed may help you to receive that missing link to feel better about the class and see all the benefits. Challenge yourself and try to learn more about the class while you can! Still, if the class is really not what you thought it would be, talk to your academic advisor to weigh in all the pros and cons, read of the possible consequences, and do what you feel is best!

Several Valid Reasons to Drop The Class:

• You need to drop the class in order to maintain your scholarship.
• You do not have sufficient time to complete the class due to personal circumstances.
• Dropping the class will not damage your overall academic progress.
• You have a sufficient amount of credit hours and you can safely switch the class and make changes, while there is a “two weeks” period.
• You are dealing with a military duty.
• Adding a different class will be more beneficial to you!

Do not forget that when you struggle with a particular class, there are still special rescue courses that usually start in the middle of a semester! However, if you have to deal with an illness or major changes in your life, the best thing you can do is withdraw from all classes entirely. Likewise, with the military duty, you can apply for special programs that meet your situation and allow you to receive all the necessary credits.

Even if you decide to drop the class and have already talked to your college or university advisor, always sign up for the rescue class and give it one more chance! Trust Nerdify, talking things out always helps to see the situation clearer and do what’s best for you!