The Best School-From-Home Essentials, According to Students

Despite studying going completely digital, students are trying to maintain a somewhat normal school schedule. In order to stay on top of their workload, many of the students we spoke to are turning to paper notebooks andplanners. Thirteen-year-oldSophia Paleyand her sister both recently orderedBan.do plannersto get them through the rest of the school year. (They’re also fans of the brand’s vibrantdesk supplies, they say.)

Twenty-year-oldWen Hsiaois fond of herMoleskine Classic 12 Month 2020 Weekly Planner. “What I’ve been struggling the most with schooling from home is finding motivation,” she says. “The lack of routine really throws me off my game — even when I try to plan out my day each morning, I always find myself wasting the day away on endless episodes on Netflix. By writing down each task, it gives me something tangible to refer back to, and I love the feeling of checking off each task at the end of the day.”

When you’re multitasking between Zoom calls, homework deadlines, and unloading the dishwasher for mom,wireless headphonescan be a lifesaver. “Usually I’m not a big headphones fan, but schooling from home and enduring classes on Zoom calls for a pair of good-quality headphones,” says Hsiao. “Wearing wireless headphones means I don’t have to worry about them falling out of my ears like AirPods, and it allows me to do minor chores at home while still being ‘wired in’ for school.”

Don’t feel like splurging? Nineteen-year-oldJane Minorrecommends some good ol’ Apple originals with the single attachment, “as it’s a lot easier to switch from laptop to phone than carrying two pairs!”

When you’re stuck inside doing schooling from home, it can feel a little suffocating to be tied to your phone and laptop 24/7. For Hsiao, Chromecast, Google’s streaming device, has been a game-changer for making her feel less confined. “By having [schooling] on a larger screen, I am not restricted to my desk and chair and can move around my room and stretch a little,” she says. She does warn that “if you don’t have the best internet connection, it will fail on you from time to time, so keep that in mind.”

“I use thisappbecause it helps me keep up with French,” says 15-year-oldAva Paley, Sophia’s sister. Now that she’s transitioned to online learning, “I’ll be using this for practicing reading, writing, and speaking,” she says. Duolingo’s quick lessons are intended to make learning a foreign language feel interactive, as if you’re actually in an IRL class.

When she’s not working on homework, Sophia says “something that’s keeping me occupied isdrawing.” She likesdrawingnow.com, “because the website shows how to draw whatever you want, from cartoons to doodles to animals,” and there are step-by-step pictures with explanations. But when she wants to go analog — and take a break from screens — Sophia likes to draw with these Caran D’ache colored pencils.

When you’re trying to focus on your studies (and tune out your little sister), students agree that good music is a must for productivity. “SFH is something that nobody is used to, so to help with stress, I go to music,” says 15-year-oldCole Thompson. “I collect vinyls, and I also listen to music on Spotify hours upon hours every single day.”

“Even though I’m not going into school every morning, I still like putting makeup on,” says 13-year-old Dylan Anderson. Experimenting with different looks has been a way to feel like herself; she namesNARS eyeshadow palettesandKaja cheeky stamp blendable blushesas a few of her favorite beauty products to play with. Thompson, a budding makeup artist, agrees: “I’m getting in many hours of practice to help refine my craft, and it’s very therapeutic as well.”

Just because students aren’t sitting in back-to-back classes all day (and just because most coffee shops are shuttered) doesn’t mean caffeine isn’t a must. “I drink a lot of instant cold coffee; I prefer it strong,” says says 15-year-old Smri Nair. “I usually useBruor a Colombian coffee you get at Publix.”

With P.E. canceled and gym closed indefinitely, many students are still prioritizing exercise — or, in Ari’s case, their parents are prioritizing exercise for them. “I’m reaching my personal best every day on thePeloton, which my parents are making me do and I hate,” he says. Ava’s also been working out at home with her family. “I’ve been doing a lot of home workouts with my mom and sister in our living room,” she says. “We ordered a bunch of things to create a little ‘at-home gym.’”

Sophia, Ava’s sister, says that they’ve “started to tune in to a lot of Instagram Live workouts such asBandier,305 Fitness, andBarry’s Bootcamp.” They also like the workout appsNeouandSweatand stream their dance studioShuffles Broadway Tap and Musical Theater School’s live lessons. “My sister and I are big tap dancers,” adds Sophia. “Our dance studio started live lessons for tap dancing, singing, and acting.” (All of Shuffles’ live lessons are available for anyone, not just paying students.)

A plus side of SFH, many teens say, is being able to take breaks throughout the day, whether that’s playingAnimal Crossingor pulling out a board game. “Welovethis,” Ava says of5 Second Rule, which gives you five seconds to name three things in a category (think, three different flavors of ice cream).

When you have to give your brain a break — and you can’t exactly go play outside — streaming is inevitable. “I just started remote learning today, so last week I enriched myself by watchingGrey’s Anatomy, eating Tootsie Rolls, doing collective research on Eastern and Southeastern European genetics, and watching moreGrey’s Anatomy,” says 14-year-old Ari Ehrlich, Ella’s brother. Anderson has also been spending her newfound leisure time bingeing TV series. “My essentials are Netflix, my laptop, a fluffyblanket, and Double Stuf Oreos,” she says. “If I could, I’d just lie in bed all day binge-watchingThe Good Place,eating my Oreos.” Nair, for her part, is keeping her streaming in check. “I try to limit myself to one movie a day,” she explains, “which ranges from rom-coms likeWhen Harry Met SallyandJerry Maguireto sadder movies such asHotel Mumbai.”