Remote Learning, In-Person Learning, and the Pandemic by Ria Purohit

 Remote Learning, In-Person Learning, and the Pandemic 

Ria Purohit 

11th Grade

This past year and a half have been confusing and tumultuous, and this pandemic seems like it’ll never end. When the pandemic initially started in March 2020, we expected to stay out of school for a couple of weeks, but it instead turned into a year. Remote learning in the 2020-21 school year was a new and difficult experience. Trying to learn new topics while in the comfort of my home is very convenient, but doesn’t allow for maximum focus on the topic at hand. I found myself looking at my phone during class multiple times out of boredom. My grades were okay, but my mental state wasn’t great. The constant staring at the screens while barely getting any social interaction was wearing away at my patience. But it did keep us safe. 

In-person learning started up in the 2021-22 school year. We are currently at the beginning part of this school year, and I don’t know how 2022 will look like for the pandemic (hoping it’s over). In-person learning is better to me in the sense that I get to see and converse with my classmates, and can complete the activities and labs the way they were meant to be. My grades are not as good as they can be right now though, and I am determined to keep my grades up. The only qualms I have about in-person learning is that it really doesn’t feel safe. How is social distancing possible when there are thousands of kids in the halls transitioning from classes, some who are not even vaccinated and some who could be asymptomatic? We have to wear masks during the school day, except during lunch. We can use the bathroom relatively freely. The only difference is during lunch and bathroom breaks, you have to sign in at your table/when you enter the bathroom, for contact tracing. I don’t know how well that system is working though. I can only imagine the frustration elementary schoolers and teachers are going through right now. 

People are borderline desperate for this pandemic to be over, for everything to go back to normal. I am too. But I am just worried about safety and whether or not the current system of in-person learning works, but if it doesn’t, what is the alternative? Are there going to be fundamental changes to how we learn and participate in class within the next year? Is there ever going to be another pre-pandemic normalcy after this pandemic? All of these are great questions that no one really knows the answers to. I hope it looks up from here, but until then, we all just have to power through and wait till we see the finish line.