One Year Ago
COVID-19 was on every main news headline. It eventually led to curfews and many businesses closing down. Everyone was then told to wear face masks, follow CDC guidelines and only to leave the house for necessities.Â
Over time, various styles of face masks were being sold, small outdoor gatherings and dining were allowed, people began working from home and students began to assist classes virtually.Â
March 11, 2020
About one year ago, COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). It was during this time when everything was closing down and the world feared the virus. Trips to the grocery store started to become a challenge to find necessities because of how quickly they ran out of stock. Searching for hand sanitizer started to become first come first serve.
Student Life and The Pandemic
On the other hand, while the everyday working people worried about how to get their necessities, Â student life was also completely impacted by COVID-19. When the closing down of schools occurred back in March of 2020, no one expected schools to stay shut down for almost a year. That meant many high school students and college students were not able to experience a traditional graduation.
However, students who graduated during a pandemic deserve a round of applause for being able to finish their final school year through the midst of it all. Here is a huge congratulations to college students who already graduated and will graduate during this pandemic!Â
Students and Technology
As a college student, I am completely aware of all the stress and challenges that we students faced during this pandemic. Not to mention, assisting virtual classes is not the same as learning in person. Many students found it much easier to learn in person, however, students now find it much more difficult to learn through a laptop, and as result, plenty of students are not attending their online classes. Â
Furthermore, not many students had access to technology during these times. This ultimately affected many students because of the financial struggles some families may have had and the school’s ability to provide all students with laptops. With some students not being able to have access to technology, this affected their grades because it made it very difficult for them to retain information, maintain attendance, and most importantly, focus. Luckily, school districts have allowed students to borrow school laptops to use at home to be able to assist classes virtually, which at least solved one of many problems.
Student’s Mental Health
As COVID-19 cases rose, many places were forced to shut down, and lockdowns had finally begun. During the first lockdown, it was a very difficult transition from in-person classes to virtual classes. The quick transition often led to much confusion and ultimately led students to lose motivation.
Why did students lose their motivation you might ask?
Well, having to wake up every morning, following the same routine, staring at a computer screen, and not being able to go out and visit friends and family can affect someone negatively. Some students might have been facing personal problems within their home and used the outdoors as a way to destress. However, with the lockdown being present around March 11, 2020, it was very hard for students to destress when not being able to go out and visit friends and enjoy fun activities.Â
Older Siblings Becoming Teachers
With younger siblings having to assist in virtual classes, it was difficult for them to understand what exactly is going on. Being the oldest sibling means having to carry many responsibilities. With that being said, a new responsibility older siblings had to complete was becoming teachers for their younger siblings.Â
Students who needed to become teachers for their younger siblings deserve recognition too because without them, how else would the younger students be able to understand the concept behind virtual learning?
March 11, 2021
Although students have faced many challenges through online learning, it allowed us to understand how much we’re driven to succeed. We as students should be so proud of everything we endured and managed to overcome such as our mental health challenges, technical issues, and overall student life during a pandemic.
It’ll get better from here! Stay safe and don’t lose hope.