The Brighter Side of Online Education

Disclaimer: The article is based on the writer’s own personal experiences. Any views or opinions expressed are not intended to subdue other people’s experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the blow of COVID-19 pandemic to the world, there came a wave of positive and negative changes in the lives of everyone around the globe. But along with that, there did come a revolution in the conventional teaching systems where online education eventually became the “new normal”. It has indeed proved to be an indispensable medium for imparting uninterrupted education to school-going students and university scholars in unprecedented times like these.

But as they say, ‘Change is the Only Constant’ and while we have successfully survived the COVID-19 pandemic with our sanity intact, the time is right to reiterate one of the most important life lessons that it taught us- to be absolutely grateful for everything good or bad that life offers us on its platter.

So, in congruence with the same, let us dwell on a few positive and worthwhile changes brought into our lives by the temporary replacement of physical classrooms with virtual platforms of learning, so as to focus on the silver lining that it embodies.

The unreal reality of receiving constant warmth and support from our beloved parents and having crazy siblings at our disposal while attending college 

It is needless to mention that none of us in our wildest dreams, imagined attending college lectures at homes with our loved ones around. The extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic left no stone unturned in making something true that was always beyond the realm of our frantic fantasies.

The blessing of having home-cooked food

After all, home-cooked food has all the love poured in it by our adorable mothers that magically makes it all the more delectable. Its diffusing aroma, making its way to our study rooms during lectures, tickles us with cravings and we just can’t help sneaking into the kitchen to relish a bite, oblivious to the fear of missing out on our professor’s words.

Ever wondered why the utility derived from the first as well as the last bite of home-cooked food remains unchanged?

Catching up with our school friends

Being in our hometowns for such a long period enabled us to keep in touch with our school friends. Seeing them, pulling all-nighters at each other’s house, and riding off to far-flung places in the post lockdown period helped us fabricate another string of beautiful memories with them. Though clicking random pictures to capturing candid moments remains at the core of all get-togethers, the only difference lies in having our masks up, bottles of sanitizers in our pockets, and trying not to defy the social distancing norms.

Work from Home Internships

No combination of 26 alphabets can adequately lay enough stress on the fact that interning during degree programmes is crucial. They are the best routes through which we can explore the fields of our interests and gain maximum exposure while honing the desired set of skills.

The concept of ‘Telecommuting’ came into play under the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic where we got a chance to enhance our time management skills by learning the art of juggling between classes and internship tasks. 

Intervals/gaps between lectures serve as productive interstices at home

The pandemic has undeniably made us understand the value of time. It has provided us with an exclusive opportunity to utilize such spare slots between our lessons in ‘n’ number of ways like working on a pending task, allocating it as ‘me time’, finishing off the last few pages of a book, or munching on a healthy snack, etc.

Having hands-on experience of both the modes of education, while freshers shall experience the colorful campus life pretty soon

We are indeed the first set of students to have lived college life in a blended mode. After all, the lessons learned in a situation so volatile, are what we shall always have ingrained in our souls. Experiences in life have always been regarded as our best teachers. Through them, we get to share our unique stories, shape our personalities, and develop perspectives on different things in life.

Well, this of course not an exhaustive list. As it is said ‘Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder,’ in the same way, our minds also possess the power to look for positivity even in unfavorable circumstances. It is what it is and mostly, it is all only in our minds!

It is true that nothing can equate with vibrant college life for sure, but rather than viewing the glass as half-empty, let’s view it the other way round as half-full. We can’t defy the law of nature so we must always try to grow through what we go through in life. As young blood, we must have the courage to make the most out of the challenges thrown by life and practice gratitude to the best of our abilities.