In a typical school year, the average student experiences stress about completing assignments, playing sports games, taking tests, getting enough sleep, and generally managing his or her time. This year, however, new stressors have overwhelmed the minds of students: staying focused during online classes and managing at-home learning. Although an online option is necessary due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is it reasonable to expect students to uphold their typical work ethic during these unprecedented times? Is it entirely possible to even emulate a regular school day through either a fully, or partially, remote learning experience? 

The idea of education has completely transformed due to the necessary procedures taken to stop the spread of Covid-19. School, in past years, served as a vital social experience. Students would congregate in the hallways, eat lunch together, and crow around tables in the library to do homework. Now, even sitting at the same table is prohibited. 

“I feel like I am not even going through a real school day,” said junior Elizabeth DiFiore. “Usually, I am excited to go to school because I see my friends, play volleyball, and go to class. Being online, I feel isolated in my room, just going through the motions of a school day,” added DiFiore. This year, the focus for students is solely academic. It is not healthy for teenagers to not have a break from schoolwork. During an online school day, it is possible for students to go the entire day without any peer socialization. Sitting behind a computer screen can never replace the experience of an in-person school day.

Students have also expressed a significant decline in productivity during an online school day. This is not a surprise. Staring at a computer screen for at least six hours a day can take a toll on a person’s focus. After a while, it is difficult to look at a screen and pay attention to remote classes. Junior Andrew Director said, “Being online kills my productivity. I often get distracted by my phone or just other things going on in my house. As for a sense of normalcy, I go for a walk on my off period because it feels like it is making up for my typical walk to school.” 

It is impossible to mimic a regular school day online, especially because half of the students are experiencing an in-person day, while the rest are subject to remote learning. Testing has become increasingly difficult with online alternatives, too. Schoology is the primary option for testing at LHS, yet it comes with its own set of obstacles: there is never enough room to complete problems, and students must click a “back” button, rather than erase mistakes. It is also difficult to go back through certain online platforms because once one submits a question, he cannot go back and fix his response. Junior Ronan Mansfield said, “I feel like it is easier to take paper tests. I do not have a stylus, so I have to write with my finger when I am taking online tests.” 

Although most students are trying to make the best out of the unique academic situation, it can be difficult to enter the building as well. There has been so much change in the building, and up until recently, there have been few in-person extracurricular activities. Junior Isabella Sferrazza said that she struggles seeing how much the building has changed. “I just hope that everything goes back to normal soon. I miss seeing everyone in the building. School just does not feel the same this year,” said Sferrazza.