Being back in the school building has had various impacts on our community. Some are loving it, but others are worried by how much covid cases have gone up. Many people think that we’ll last at least a month in-person, a few months at most. Students couldn’t wait to come back and see their friends after last year, but this year we might still have to go back on the computer. There were some things to love and to hate about online school. 

Online school had its advantages and disadvantages. Students didn’t have to get dressed or wake up as early. For the kids who have social anxiety or who are very introverted, online school probably felt like a miracle. Some students also found online school to be easier and better than in-person school for several reasons. One of which was being able to have cameras and microphones off made it easier to leave or fall asleep in class. Many students enjoyed waking up at 7:59, logging into canvas, and going right back to bed. Now, they have to wake up early to get ready and make it to school or catch the bus on time. However, many students fell behind throughout last school year because of this. Other disadvantages included how students were sitting in front of their computers all day with only an hour long break for lunch. Then by the time the school day was done, homework was given out, making them sit at their computers for even longer. Sitting down and working on a computer all day can result in physical strain and mental exhaustion, so it’s readily apparent why students don’t want to return to online classes. 

The in-person experiences are an entirely different story from online school. However, it does still have its own upsides and downsides. The main advantage being that kids are allowed to see their friends again during the school day. Students are allowed to sit next to and be in the same classroom as people they haven’t seen in over a year. They can eat lunch together, go to football games, and joke around with their friends. After all this time of being stuck in their rooms all day, they can finally escape into the real world.  

The disadvantages of in-person school are mainly directed towards the introverted students and the students who are now fully used to the online lifestyle. For introverts, they have to interact with their peers even if they’re uncomfortable, thanks to teachers putting us in more groups to get used to being around each other again. We had to change our whole school lifestyle to fit the needs of online school. Now, many students have gotten used to doing school in their pajamas and getting that extra sleep with their cameras off. Should the  school shut down again, everyone is going to react differently. My cousin said “I’d rather do it online because I like it better and it’s easier,” and I’ve heard the same from other friends. Others I’ve talked to say that they love being in school with their friends, and that they want us to stay in school. Whatever happens this school year, it can’t top what we’ve already been through the past two years.