As the 2020-21 school year continues, many students continue to change to an all virtual schedule every day. Up to 40% of the student body is fully virtual. The school has done their best to make this year’s learning experience as normal and beneficial as they can, but regardless these circumstances have greatly impacted this school year. With new circumstances comes adjustments and new habits. Many students have felt that virtual learning is more beneficial to them than the hybrid schedule.
There is a plethora of reasons that students and their families made this decision, varying from safety precautions to loss of motivation. Sophomore Scarlett Campbell is currently all virtual and has been since Thanksgiving break. She is unsure if she will return to the hybrid schedule for the third marking period; “I miss the social aspect of school, but I would also like to stay home. School just isn’t the same.”
Students are losing motivation to attend school in person. They are offered the same education from the comfort of their own home, so some students see no reason to attend in person. As Campbell said, the atmosphere has changed drastically, so the social aspect that many look forward to is gone. Working in groups, interacting normally with teachers, going to lunch, attending gym class, and walking in the halls were parts of the day that students truly got to talk with friends and build new relationships; all of which has been hindered by COVID-19.
Alyssa Lorenzi agrees that the atmosphere is different; “For most of my classes we went to class and went on zoom, so it was not better. There are no benefits to going in person because of social distancing.”
Another major reason for students’ decisions to stay home is the fear of COVID-19. Campbell shares that “I went all virtual because I was scared that I would be contact traced and have to quarantine even if I did not have the virus.” Becoming all virtual prevents students from unnecessary isolation periods as well as exposure.
Pablo Esteche claims that he chose to be all virtual this year because “of all the positive cases in the past as well as the lack of precaution and serious responses from his peers.” He did not feel like his peers were taking the virus as serious as they should be, so he chose to stay home for the safety of himself and his family.
A beneficial aspect about all virtual learning is the sleep schedule. Students have felt that they are less stressed and well rested. Students are able to sleep much later than they do when they must attend in-person. Lorenzi says that she “gets to sleep more. I get an extra hour and a half of sleep.”
To high school students, sleep is very beneficial to their success and health, so it is ideal to get the most amount of sleep as possible. If all virtual allows students to sleep later and work from the comfort of their home while receiving the same education, why is it a bad response to school during a pandemic? This pandemic has brought much change and many obstacles into everyone’s lives, so that requires new adjustments and lifestyles. Change is inevitable, and we must adapt to do what is best for us.
