𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐒 | 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁, 𝗔𝗹𝘁-𝗧𝗮𝗯 𝗶𝘁 𝗢𝘂𝘁

Report by Joaquin Umali | Graphics by Nikka Gutierrez | Layout by Jayane Leslie Feliciano

Online classes were supposed to be easier. No uniform, no waking early for a 7 am class, and no one is tired in a 2-hour trip just for one subject. But instead, with unstable Wi-Fi, never-ending brownouts, and the constant demand for open cameras despite 144p-quality internet, students have had no choice but to adapt, survive, and master the art of alt-tabbing—whether for multitasking, cheating, or just straight-up surviving. Some students do it flawlessly, while others just barely survive.

From "Sir, nagla-lag po ako" to "Ma, ‘wag mong buksan 'yung pinto!"—every online student has a strategy. Some execute the graceful alt-tab ballet, while others fumble and accidentally share their search history (RIP to the one who accidentally showed "easiest way to cheat in online exam"). But whether you're a Google Expert, a CR Break Enjoyer, or a “Brownout” Faker, one thing is for sure—when in doubt, alt-tab it out.

So, grab your notes, open 17 tabs, and pray your Wi-Fi doesn’t betray you—because this is the Olympics of Online Class Survival. And spoiler alert: your professor probably knows exactly what you’re doing.

𝗦𝗢𝗖-𝗠𝗘𝗗 𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗝𝗔

With one eye on the lecture and one on the other tab, the Soc-Med Ninja has mastered the art of pretending to listen while deep in a meme rabbit hole. If you’re easily bored with long oral presentation, or just a visual learner faced with bland and dried-up power point presentations, you’re probably a student who saves their tabs for Facebook, Instagram, or even TikTok—First you’re in class, and the second, scrolling on the vastness of social media—even faster than Flash when reacting and sharing to different national chismis, and probably engaged in that deep comment section.

𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥

Why bother with tedious note-taking when you've got an entirely open Word doc, Google search bar, and PDF notes at your disposal? Nervous you might be called for a recitation? Ctrl + F is your friend. All you have to do is to find that answer in the sea of information laying on your tabs. Maybe in that way, you might impress your professor and secure that uno in recitations. But beware, with great power comes great responsibility. Taking too slow might bore your professor and mark your participation as zero. Ideally, it’s much better to read the materials in advance, rather than stressing yourself with informations you don’t know.

“𝗟𝗔𝗚 𝗣𝗢” 𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗘 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗦𝗧

Every online class with the “Nagla-lag” Warrior feels like a game of "Guess Who?" They freeze for a second, glitch out for another, and then suddenly reappear—hoping no one noticed they were just Googling answers offline. Just a perfect excuse to buy time and magically appear as the “smartest” person in the virtual class. Other variants of this kind are one moment, they’re listening. The next, their screen freezes mid-blink, making them look either deep in thought or just plain confused. No one knows if they actually lagged or if they’re just mastering the art of dodging questions. Either way, their internet deserves an award for best unintentional escape plan.

“𝗣𝗔-𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗗” 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗜𝗚𝗬

If you are on messenger while in the middle of an online class, others might think you are indulged in a sweet “bebe time” but in reality, you’re the type of student who probably believes in miracles, silently snipping on the group chat. These students are preys, lurking for unsupervised answers as if they sacrificed their blood, sweat, and tears just to proceed on the given question. But honestly, the best strategy isn’t solving the question—it’s waiting until someone else does. Their go-to move? "Wait po, iniisip ko pa..." while secretly staring at the class GC, hoping for a last-minute miracle drop of answers.

𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗧 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗥

They are called as “Academic Robinhoods” in their fields, often topping their class with stellar grades, but chose to “help” those unfortunate ones, especially during online exams. While others panic, they don’t just send screenshots, they save lives. These people are the ones who finished the quizzes the fastest, eager to screenshot every item then dropping on the group chat like a life-time delivery with every rumor that professors are notified by the software that screenshots were taken.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗧 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗔𝗥

Often deemed as “Strong Dependent People”—With conviction, and as a solo warrior—These types of students rely on no one, no group chats and no screenshots, only the internet as if it’s in the back of their hand, being basically nurtured by the internet itself. While classmates spam “Help” on the GC, this student has 25 open tabs, a shaky Wi-Fi connection, and a heart full of determination. Their survival instinct? Ctrl + T, Ctrl + F, and a prayer.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧

An all decoration, no dedication special type of student during asynchronous classes. On the surface, their cakes are flawless, covered in pristine outputs, and Michelin-star level activities. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find some nasty ChatGPT, QuillBot, or some AI tool that did all the work just to cover the burned pastry. Just like a beautifully decorated cake that crumbles at the first slice, their knowledge is all frosting, no substance. Fortunately, some professors are sharp with their palettes to unmask these con artists.

At the end of the day, alt-tabbing is more than just a keyboard shortcut—it’s a way of life. Whether you’re an open notes master, a screenshot supplier, an icing illutionist, we all have our own ways of “managing” online classes. Some do it with pure wit, others with questionable ethics, and a few with nothing but sheer survival instincts and unstable Wi-Fi.

But let’s be real—“when in doubt, alt-tab it out” may save you in the moment, but it won’t always be there to rescue you in the real world. One day, there won’t be a class GC, an AI-generated essay, or an open-tab safety net. So maybe, just maybe, it’s time to master the actual lesson instead of just mastering the art of switching screens before the teacher catches you.