Fully virtual students speak on their first year back

For those of us who didn’t return back to school when hybrid learning went into place, or again when everyone could return this year will be their first time in school since March of 2020. A sophomore, junior, and senior share their experiences from last year and how it has affected their return.

Hadley Forsen
Q: How would you describe your experience of returning back to in person school after so long?
A: I think it’s been going well, at least for me, and it’s nice to actually be able to see people after not really seeing anyone last year. I think the transition from learning hasn’t been too bad either. So, I’d say it’s been successful. It’s definitely weird experiencing freshman things as a sophomore, like Central’s stairs. I’m starting to get used to things but there’s definitely some adjustment.
Q: What was the best and worst thing about being fully virtual?
A: The best thing about being fully virtual was time. I had a lot of time to do more things whereas now I’m getting home quite late, spending time doing homework, and then I have to eat and it’s time to go to bed already. Last year, I could read a book a week and spend time with family. The worst thing was not seeing anybody. It’s kind of sad because I would see things on social media, and people having fun in school with their friends. I would think to myself “I could be doing that.”
Q: What is the best and worst thing about in-person school?
A: The best thing is being able to make new friends and seeing people I haven’t seen in a long time. It’s a lot nicer to have in-person instruction because there are more resources. The worst thing was losing all of that extra time. It’s definitely weird because you’re in the same boat as the freshmen essentially. You’ve met some teachers, kind of and you’ve met some friends, kind of.
Q: How do you think the return affected you socially?
A: It affected me a lot. I would text people and I did make a few friends during online school, but I literally did not have a social life. I would only hangout with my family and it’s so different now being able to talk to people. I definitely thrive more being at school.
Q: How do you think the return affected you academically?
A: I don’t think it affected me, and I’m very lucky because I know a lot of other people struggled. Especially last year when school ended, I would get all of my homework done immediately. Now, I have to go to school get all of this homework, take an hour-long bus ride home and then spend an hour doing work at home. So, it’s more intense but learning wise I did have a good experience remotely and in-person.

Veronica Weide
Q: How would you describe your experience of returning back to in person school after so long?
A: Returning back to in person school after so long was super nerve-racking. It felt like I was going to a new school and it was very out of place. As time has gone on, it’s made me feel a bit more comfortable.
Q: What was the best and worst thing about being fully virtual?
A: The best thing about online school was most definitely the flexibility. Online classes were transportable and you could be doing your homework at anytime, anywhere. The worst thing was the motivation to learn and keep up with work. It was very hard to pay attention to the calls because you’re in such a comfortable area while learning.
Q: What is the best and worst thing about in-person school?
A: The best thing about in person school is making relationships with your teachers and friends. It’s way easier to talk to your teachers, whether it’s about the lesson you’re learning or just small talk. Also, it was a challenge trying to make friends over online school. The worst thing about it in person school is how much of your day it feels like you’re losing. School takes up about 8 to 9 hours of your day which makes you feel like you wasted a lot of time.
Q: How do you think the return affected you socially?
A: My return to in person school has made me more social with almost everyone. Been isolated for all of last school year made me lose a lot of my social skills and friends, so coming back to hundreds of kids
surrounding me every day and doing icebreakers of my classes sort of made me force myself back into it all. I do think that it was a good thing because I got back into the swing of things.
Q: How do you think the return affected you academically?
A: Last year, tests and homework were very flexible from the teachers so it’s easy to do well on assignments. So, coming back this year to everything being “hard-core” as a junior, I think it will be somewhat of a challenge. I’m hoping it doesn’t bring down my grades too much compared to last year but I’m going to put in the work to keep my grades where I want them to be.

Ava Burk
Q: How would you describe your experience of returning back to in person school after so long?
A: It’s was definitely weird. It’s weird also because throughout quarantine there was a lot of stuff that happened besides COVID so it was like the whole vibe totally changed. Everyone’s attitudes, I feel like changed. Teachers and students are both undergoing a lot of stress right now, and on top of that a new principal. I come back to in-person and it feels like a totally different place and I’m a senior so I don’t even know like 80 percent of the people walking the halls right now.
Q: What was the best and worst thing about being fully virtual?
A: The best thing was having total control over my schedule. So, I could eat lunch while on my math class, or do yoga while listening to my choir class sing. The worst thing was the lack of interaction I had between everyone. I would text a couple people but other than that I wouldn’t be able to look at them or talk to them.
Q: What is the best and worst thing about in-person school?
A: The best thing is meeting my teachers. I really missed them. My friends I see all the time outside of
school, so that wasn’t a huge difference. AActually being able to see the teachers and get to know them a little bit makes the learning experience so much better. Waking up sucks and that’s really been hard for me. Another thing I don’t like is going from being so independent with my learning last year, and then transitioning to this feels like a prison. There’s so many more rules and structure it’s hard.
Q: How do you think the return affected you socially?
A: Honestly, I’ve been way more anti-social after the return. I don’t understand how it happened, but I don’t really see my friends as much. It’s so weird, I would’ve thought it would make me way more social but I was so much more social when I didn’t have to come here. I could hang out with my friends whenever which makes sense, now we don’t have any classes together which has made things harder.
Q: How do you think the return affected you academically?
A: Academically I did worse online although I was emotionally happier. Which I think makes total sense, because I don’t think school is set up in a way to make you feel good. I’ve always passed my classes I just did less, and it was harder to pay attention.