The pandemic has been with us for about a year now, drastically changing our everyday lives and school experiences. A new school schedule has been adapted, most extracurriculars are limited and/or virtual, and more. As we’ve grown accustomed to this recent “norm”, what have students learned?

“I learned the value of school and how vital those small connections were. It taught me that no matter how much I used to complain about school, it can always get worse. However, I also learned how to manage my time and focus at home,” says sophomore Daphne Saatcioglu.

Before COVID-19, school was a form of in-person social interaction. With the virtual format, students have had to adjust to the drastic change of spending school days online in their own rooms. The absence of hands-on learning experience, however disadvantageous, has taught many students the value of community.

“I think I realized how important it is to stay connected to the people in your life. As we’ve all been spending more time inside and interacting with others less, it’s good for my mental health to keep in touch with friends and family (safely),” says sophomore Yara Shobut.

Challenges also came up with online learning as the shift in schooling found some students struggling to keep up with courses and create new methods of studying.

“Facing the sudden circumstances of virtual education, I came to learn the disadvantages of staying home. For me personally, I found it more difficult to be engaged- to absorb information, and fully understand what we were taught. But as difficult as the past year was, working through those challenges has definitely made me a more flexible learner,” says sophomore Catie Galloza.

Adapting to the circumstances surrounding the pandemic has certainly changed the way students learn.

“Learning hasn’t been too difficult for me but I need to kind of force myself out of the habit of treating online school like it is optional,” says junior Naomi Freeman.