In early 2020, the pandemic had sent millions of students home to continue their academics from their bedrooms. After a full remote school year for most, schools across the world are opening back up for in-person classes. With a new perspective on learning environments and procedures, four Kearny High School students share their experiences by comparing virtual and in-person classes along with their respective challenges.

Raquel Lamego- Freshman 

• What was your initial reaction to switching to virtual classes and what was the change in structure that shocked you the most?

At first, I was nervous about going virtual because it was a new experience and I wasn’t completely sure how it would play out. I think what shocked me the most was how used to online school I got because now that we are back in school I feel the way I felt when we started virtual.

• Which environment, at home or at school, did you feel let you perform at your highest level of productivity?

 I feel that my highest level of productivity was at school because while we were online I left things for the last minute more than I did at school. Also, I feel that at school I was more organized, therefore, I got things done quicker and better. 

• What were some of the challenges you faced, either at home or at school, that you felt held you back from reaching your full potential?

 Some challenges I faced during online school were staying focused during class and overall getting used to doing online school everyday. I had trouble focusing during class because when I was sitting in front of a computer all day I got restless and I kept myself busy doing other things instead of paying attention in class. Also, getting used to online school was a struggle I think most people faced because it was a new experience for everyone and no one knew whether it would work out or not. I also feel that everyone was just not used to it so it just made it harder. 

• Did you feel that teachers were available for help during virtual classes and if not how do you feel that affected your overall performance?

Some teachers were better than others but I feel that overall it was easy to get help from my teachers during online school. Since they were new to it too, I think they tried to help as best as they could so everyone did as good as they could during online school. But, I had some teachers who were hard to reach out to if I needed help and this definitely had a negative effect on my performance. Sometimes, it took teachers days to answer emails which added stress for me because I wasn’t sure if they would ever get back to me about an assignment. 

• What do you feel you missed out on the most, in respect to academics or extracurriculars?

I feel that if we had normal in person school I wouldn’t have joined the clubs that I did. This is because during online school I had extra time on my hands for clubs and stuff whereas if we were at school I probably wouldn’t have joined any clubs. I also feel I could have performed better academically because online school added more unnecessary stress which caused me to worry more about grades which affected them negatively.

Mayar Srourou- Sophomore

• What was your initial reaction to switching to virtual classes and what was the change in structure that shocked you the most?

My initial reaction to switching to virtual was not shocking at all to me, but it was new. It was something I never experienced before. Although I knew something would change because of how Covid increased. 

• Which environment, at home or at school, did you feel let you perform at your highest level of productivity?

I was better when I was at school because there the teachers would help us better if we needed it. Also, it was much easier for me to understand and learn better while being in class.

• What were some of the challenges you faced, either at home or at school, that you felt held you back from reaching your full potential?

There really wasn’t any challenge I faced that could have held me back.

• Did you feel that teachers were available for help during virtual classes and if not how do you feel that affected your overall performance?

Yes, I do believe that the teachers were there if and when we needed them. They told us almost everyday “if you need help to ask or go for help period.”

• What do you feel you missed out on the most, in respect to academics or extracurriculars?

The thing that I feel that I missed out on most is my first almost everything in high school. Although sophomore year is like a do-over, it’s still not the same.

Caroline Sammarone- Junior

• What was your initial reaction to switching to virtual classes and what was the change in structure that shocked you the most?

My initial reaction to changing to structured classes was that I was kind of glad to be taught in more of a lectured way rather than just submitting assignments with no communication from the teacher. I was shocked by how much new material I was able to learn. I thought that I would have a harder time picking up lessons

• Which environment, at home or at school, did you feel let you perform at your highest level of productivity?

In school I definitely perform my highest level of productivity. In school I’m away from electronics, family, and sitting in a real classroom; this is the environment where I work the best and most efficiently.

• What were some of the challenges you faced, either at home or at school, that you felt held you back from reaching your full potential?

At home I was able to look up how to do lessons and set aside work for later very easily. Now that I’m in school, it can be hard for me to complete a full assignment at once because at home I am used to working in small bits throughout the entire day. The way I work in the school is better for me long term because it allows me to have a stress free afternoon schedule.

• Did you feel that teachers were available for help during virtual classes and if not how do you feel that affected your overall performance?

The teachers that I had in the previous year were very helpful and adamant that we come to them in help period if we were falling behind. This push for extra help allowed me to excel at home and reassured my confidence in the lessons.

• What do you feel you missed out on the most, in respect to academics or extracurriculars?

I feel that I missed out on going to games and school spirit. Freshman year was my favorite year of high school so far and it was also the last time that I was in the building. I’m hoping that the excitement and fun will be there again this year!

Logan Dasilva- Senior

• What was your initial reaction to switching to virtual classes and what was the change in structure that shocked you the most?

I was confused and excited. I thought I was just going to get a couple weeks off of school. The first date to return that got pushed back shocked me the most because I knew we weren’t going to go back to school that year.

• Which environment, at home or at school, did you feel let you perform at your highest level of productivity? 

I feel like I performed better at school because I was in a classroom setting. I didn’t have as many distractions in school as I did at home

• What were some of the challenges you faced, either at home or at school, that you felt held you back from reaching your full potential?

One of my biggest challenges was staying on top of all my due dates and staying organized. It was hard to keep up with all the different files being shared every week

• Did you feel that teachers were available for help during virtual classes and if not how do you feel that affected your overall performance?

I feel the teachers tried to do everything they could but I don’t think they were able to be as available virtually. It was hard to have one on one conversations and learn face to face

• What do you feel you missed out on the most, in respect to academics or extracurriculars?

I feel I missed out on the high school experience and everything just flew by. I went from being halfway through my sophomore year to being a senior. I just wish I didn’t take high school for granted and I’m trying to enjoy my last couple of months as a highschooler.

As seen through countless experiences, the pandemic altered our sense of normality inside and out of the classroom. Although each individual and family endured different hardships and journeys, this shared experience of at-home learning brought a generation of students together through a shared obstacle.