Due to the challenges online school students and teachers faced, they have returned to in-person learning with changed perspective and a new appreciation for social interaction.
Sophomore Rahul Hegde said that many people take in-person school for granted.
“It turns out, you only really see things after you’ve lost them,” Hegde said.
Senior Thea Gradwell said that when someone stays isolated for so long, they start to forget how to manage their tones and talk to other people.
“It shows you that you’re really privileged to go to school, and be with people who you can talk and learn [with,]” Gradwell said.
According to Gradwell, being isolated in her own room was “a dark, dark, time.”
“I feel like we always take advantage of being in school,” Gradwell said. “You never want to be here, but it’s actually a great social opportunity.”
Science teacher Kim Wilson said that there’s a bond for the people who went through the same experience together.
“I think that anytime you go through some kind of traumatic experience, it bonds you, for better or for worse,” Wilson said.
Gradwell said that she’s glad that she was able to create such a tight knitted relationship with someone.
“I actually got really close with a person and we’ve been friends since,” Gradwell said.
According to Gradwell, she’s glad they’ve stayed together through many ups and downs and are still connected.
Besides the lack of socialization, learning during online school was different.
“We had to do everything by ourselves without as much help as we would’ve had in class,” Hegde said.
Hegde said that not all classes were hard, but they were “tedious.”
“It was always about getting work done on time and not really about getting a really good grade,” Hegde said.
The learning environment change has affected some student’s learning habits.
Gradwell said she felt less pressured to care about her grades at home and it suffered as a consequence.
Gradwell is still determined to try hard to improve herself and end this year with a “bang.”
Gradwell said that she doesn’t want to continue with the mindset or habits she had developed during online school that not only crush her grades, but ultimately her spirits in general.
There were mixed responses about the continuation of online school even after the pandemic is over.
Hedge said that humans need social interactions and online school lacks that aspect.
“Staying at home in their rooms all day,” Hegde said, “I don’t think that’s going to be good for [their] mental health, physical health, or any aspect of [their] lives.”