Influence of the Coronavirus

How Covid-19 Has and Will Effect Us as a School

Influence+of+the+Coronavirus

Valerie Kirby

2020 has been absolutely crazy! It has been a very eventful year, especially with the Coronavirus.File:Quarantine COVID-19.png - Wikimedia Commons

Mid-March, we were let out of school very abruptly and everyone was staying home in an attempt to put an end to Covid as soon as we could. After nearly 180 days of no school, we were ready to return.

Since we were out for what was practically a whole school year, coming back was definitely different and even strange for many of us. Things are finally becoming normal again, with the exception of masks being part of many people’s normal attire for the day. The question is: will we stay in school, or will this virus be the reason our new normal will be virtual learning?

Many of us have quite a few questions about the virtual learning experience. If we go virtual how long will we be there? How difficult would it be to learn when you are at home with so many distractions? Will school be more difficult? These are all very valuable questions that many people have, but nobody really knows the answer to. 

The 2020-2021 school year has been and will continue to be a year of trial and error. We will all have to work together to figure this out as we go. It’s going to be a difficult time for everyone, so we must come together as a school to map our way through the year. 

There are many precautions we must take to prevent the spread of this virus, but we shouldn’t let it control our lives. If you feel safer wearing a mask, you should do so. If you feel as though the masks do no good, (and you and your family have decided that you don’t need to wear one) then don’t. Throughout this time, everyone should do what is best for them. Do what makes YOU feel safe. If you have an underlying medical condition (especially if they are respiratory issues) you should make sure you are safe. Although all of this is done to protect us from the virus, we definitely can’t let it ruin our school year. 

Many people, including myself, think most students learn better at school rather than at home. For starters there are fewer distractions. When learning from home, there will be many distractions including parents doing their jobs, house work, making sure everyone is doing their work, and fixing lunch. Not to mention the amount of distractions a teen can find in his or her room. Plus, if we go to virtual learning, many students’ households will be full of people. There will be parents and siblings working or learning from home, and everyone will be on the same internet. If there are that many people using the same internet, it won’t be strong enough for work to get done, much less watching teacher’s live streams/zooms. If the power were to go out due to a storm, some students, if not all, would be without electricity and wifi, and nothing would get done. Just imagine being in the younger grades! Their parents will have to help them and make sure their work is done, do their jobs, and make sure the house is picked up and everyone has lunch and supper. Virtual learning could also make students think showers shouldn’t be taking showers everyday, when in all reality, they should! Some students may not be able to afford food to have three meals a day, so unless the schools continue the backpack program or bus lunches out, some students won’t be getting enough nutrition to stay healthy.

Though virtual may have many downfalls, it has some positive things about it. If we go virtual, you can have calming music, candles, and set the air how you like it. You won’t have to worry about bad smells, being cold/hot, or only hearing the sound of other students whispering around them. Another thing that people may enjoy is having the accessibility to their food at home. When you’re at home, you are more than likely going to be able to eat when you want to instead of having teachers not allowing you to eat, or you’re waiting for lunch. 

This year will definitely be strange and memorable.