In a matter of 6 months, our school routine as we knew it was completely changed for students.
What was so familiar turned into what is now so foreign. We were all used to going to school
every day, standing inches away from our teachers, and being able to wrap our arms around our
friends. Now, we go to school in-person every other day, we are all separated by six feet, and
our faces are covered with masks. Everyone experienced a drastic transition from normalcy to a
completely virtual learning environment and then to the current “new normal.” This “new normal,”
is one which entails consistent sanitization of every surface, ample distance between everyone,
and each grade being split in half. As a result, one of the most common questions right now is,
“how are students adapting?” We are thankful to have received some insight into how students
are feeling about how COVID-19 has impacted their school environment.
How are you staying connected with friends?
Even though school is what we most commonly associate with learning, it is also a social
environment that now looks quite different. Oliver (6th) says that he’s staying connected to his
friends through Minecraft and online meetings for clubs. Many other students emphasize the
importance of social media, texting, and facetime, to make-up for the less frequent in-person
interactions. Gabe (8th) and many others, pointed to socially distanced gatherings outside of
school as another means by which they are staying connected. This points to the fact that
students across grade levels are using similar methods to spend time with their friends. Lily
(11th) describes the nice weather as a key player when it comes to gathering, and google meets
as a way to share a screen and watch a movie as a group.
How have your studying/organizational methods changed?
The hybrid model has made students able to learn both in-person and online which is different
from the model that was used before at the start of the pandemic. A few students referenced a
transition from handwritten work to typed work, including the use of google drive and computers
for organization. Lily (11th) explains, “I also learned to keep an online calendar for accessibility,
but a paper planner for personal liking. For me, it was trial and error.” On the other hand, Hunter
(10th) and others say that their studying/organizational methods have not changed much at all.
Is there anything that you wish you knew before school started?
Like many, students started the year with very little knowledge as to how the new environment
would work. One student tells us, “I wish I knew how difficult it would be to attend class remotely
taught by a teacher who has students in front of them.” Others reference their funky sleep
schedule and the initially confusing hybrid model as things they wish they knew before starting
this year. Oliver explains, “I do wish I knew about who all my teachers would be, but I
understand that it’s a hard road for them to get teachers for us.” Lastly, Hunter says, “I wish I
knew what the cure to COVID was.” That about sums up the sentiment that many are feeling
right now.
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