The Unwritten Rules of Attending Zoom Lectures

As Zoom lectures are becoming more of a thing now for students studying at university, you need to make sure you’re a pro at using the video conferencing service!

Sitting in your cosy accommodation with your laptop set up is all well and good, but what about everything else, the things we might not think about?

For example, you probs shouldn’t be sitting around in your PJ’s on a call with your lecturers and fellow students!

Then there’s making sure you’re on mute when you need to be because you don’t want everyone hearing you crunching on a piece of toast, right?

So, without further ado, let’s get into the unwritten rules of attending Zoom lectures, soon enough you’ll be a professional Zoomer.

1. Try To Look Presentable

Wear presentable calls on your uni zoom call

This may sound a little obvious, but you don’t want to be on the camera in your fluffy teddy bear PJ’s do you!?

As a new student at university, you want to make a good impression, so we’d recommend steering clear of the garish PJ’s and wearing something a little more presentable.

We’re not telling you to wear a tuxedo or ball gown, but maybe stick with a t-shirt and some comfy joggers, as opposed to a dressing gown!

First impressions are everything, and although it might be good banter to wear a dressing gown, it might not go down well with your lecturer, oops.

2. Mute Is Your Friend!

Unwritten rule of Zoom calls for students is to mute yourself

It’s definitely worth muting your mic when your lecturer is talking, or your fellow students!

You want to try and minimise an echo as much as possible, and it’s just polite to keep quiet generally.

That way, you can all focus and retain the information of the lecture, and not get distracted by someone chewing on their toast or sneezing!

Hosts can usually mute all participants anyway, so the speaker can have center stage.

When the lecture is open to discussion, you’re free to chat to your heart’s content, but when your lecturer is talking, shhhh!

3. Keep Notes Handy

Make notes during your zoom call

Make sure you have your notes close to hand, whether that be in your notebook or on Microsoft Word,  it’s really just whatever works for you.

Be sure to save your document if you’re working on word, we don’t want any lost work after all!

This point also highlights the importance of keeping your mic on mute, as we’re sure people don’t want to hear your keyboard tapping constantly, it could be a bit annoying.

We’d recommend noting down any key points as opposed to great big mounds of writing, as you don’t want to confuse yourself when reading back on your notes.

Remember: note down any questions you might want to ask at the end before you forget!

4. Time Management

time management is essential for a zoom call

You may well be sat at your laptop, but that doesn’t mean you can turn up to a lecture late, or leave early!

Obvs if you’ve got a legit excuse, it’s all good, but we’d recommend you keep organised and ensure you don’t wake up late and miss the start of your lecture.

You want to create a good impression, and turning up 10 minutes late looking half asleep in your PJ’S probably won’t do that, awks.

Why not set an alarm to give yourself plenty of time to get prepared? Even if it’s just 45 minutes before so you can grab a quick shower, it’s better than nothing!

5. Record The Lecture

Unwritten rules of zoom - record your lecture

Usually, lecturers will record the lecture for you, which will be converted into MP4 and sent out to students.

But, if you feel like you’d rather have a copy handy on your smartphone, there’s no reason why you can’t do an audio recording yourself!

It’s always useful to have it on your device as soon as possible, as you may have to wait a while for your lecturer to send it over anyway.

Just simply record a voice clip on your phone, and try to stay as quiet as possible!

6. Be Engaged

an unwritten zoom rule for students is to stay engaged

We know this is easier said than done, especially when you’re in your comfy student accommodation and may be feeling a little sleepy!

Being as engaged as possible will really pay off when retaining information, and will help you come across as generally polite.

If you’re sat on your phone scrolling through Tik Tok instead of paying attention, you may come across as slightly rude!

Of course, we all have our off days, but if you can try you’re best to listen as much as possible with maximum concentration, it’ll be really beneficial to you later down the line.

7. Try To Have Your Video On

it's polite to have your video on a zoom call

Lecturers will most likely want their students to have their cameras on, so that they can see if they’re engaged and enjoying the lecture!

Of course, if you don’t feel comfortable putting the camera on, you don’t have to, but it’s a really great tool to improve communication and introduce yourself.

8. Good Internet Connection!

make sure your internet is good enough for a zoom call

The last thing you want is for your video or audio to keep freezing, so you need to ensure you have a decent internet connection when joining a Zoom call!

Luckily with our fabulous student accommodation, SuperFast Wi-Fi is usually available, so you don’t have to worry about annoying, laggy internet.

It can be rather frustrating when…your…voice…keeps…freezing, see what we mean?

9. It’s A Camera, Not A Mirror!

unwritten zoom rule is to not apply make up on camera

Don’t forget that people can actually see you during a Zoom lecture, so don’t go taking selfies or posing in the camera!

We’re all guilty of a shameless pout now and then, but many students forget that it’s a camera, not a mirror, and put their makeup on.

Granted, you may want to sort your hair out to make sure you look 10/10, but try to avoid this, because it’s a little awks for everyone in general!

Eye contact is always good when speaking to someone over Zoom too, as opposed to looking at the person on your screen, it can come across as warm and friendly.

10. Smile 🙂

make sure you smile on your zoom call

We all get a little tired now and then, but a big smile can go a long way when participating in a Zoom call.

It’ll give you an approachable vibe, and make sure the lecturer knows you’re engaging well in the lecture.

We’re not saying you have to sit there the whole time with a massive grin on your face the whole time, but try not to have a face like thunder!

So, these are the unwritten rules for attending a Zoom lecture for students, granted, it’s pretty weird times at the moment, but we’re here to help you as much as possible.

Keep persevering and try to enjoy this new normal, because you’re bound to make friends for life during your university journey.

Keep smiling, and good vibes only!

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