This year has been our first year back since virtual learning and it has been quite a switch for students of Wayne Hills HIgh School. Covid had such an impact on everyone’s lives in 2020, leaving most of all students to be learning virtually at home, physically and mentally. School is starting to feel normal again but we can’t do anything but look back at how crazy virtual learning  was.

When the idea that students would have to come to school every few days or learn virtually was announced, this left many excited. Thepparit Sysounthone had this to say when asked what was his reaction when he found out he had to learn virtually for the 2020-2021 school year, “I was very excited knowing that I didn’t have to go to school anymore and I could easily get through the year.”  

The first month seemed like something students can get used to. All virtual students were attending with ease because they didn’t have to wake up early to pretty themselves up. With just a click, they were in session.  “I used to wake up at 7:15 every day and just hop on my computer,” says junior Josh Baek when asked about his first month of virtual learning. It’s safe to say students most likely got plenty of sleep last year.

Knowing that in order to attend you need to have your face in the frame, students downloaded things like extensions to freeze their screen. “Some kids would freeze their screen at the most ridiculous times possible, it almost seemed like a joke,” said Junior Kareem Rifai. 

Students were also able to do things that they really couldn’t do in a classroom. “I ate a stack of pancakes while attending chemistry,” said Junior John Sees when asked if he did any ridiculous things while attending class virtually. 

The most difficult thing for some teachers was certain stuff you would have to do for on-hand learning. Teachers in extracurricular classes such as auto or foods couldn’t teach in ways they usually do. With everything being virtual, they were left to just give a lecture through a screen, which made many students question or lose interest in the topic they chose to learn. “Foods class was a complete bummer and I sort of saw it as a waste of time halfway through the year because we never actually got to cook anything”, says Junior Thepparit Sysounthone who was all virtual last year. 

While last school year wasn’t the most ideal, it can be seen as unforgettable. We can do nothing but look back and sort of laugh from how crazy the whole experience was. And we hope for Wayne Hills to strive for the upcoming 2022 year ahead of us.