Students involved with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic across the U.S. this year are dealing with the question of whether they like in school learning or virtual learning better.

    The beginning to this new school year has been quite a rough one. Many families and their children have been struggling to either send their child back to school, or stay fully virtual. There are a variety of opinions, views, and facts on this argument, but it seems that students enjoy in school better than online.

    “I prefer in school over online school because I believe it is better for students’ mental health. Being isolated inside and not having friends to communicate to during school hours can make students feel lonely and depressed. This can also restrict them from doing the work they should be doing. Also, online school is an easy way to cheat on tests and important things kids should be learning,” said Alexa Guglielmi, a student at Emerson Junior Senior High School. 

    Students also enjoy being in school because they feel like they focus better around people in a classroom than over Google Meets. Students are so used to being around teachers and friends everyday that they focus less without being in the classroom. They think it is easier for students and teachers to understand each other in the classroom, while virtual classes can lag constantly and ruin communications between students and staff.

    “One reason in school is better than online school is that you can have more interactions with others during class time. We need interaction to understand each other more clearly. Also, classroom teaching helps teachers understand students’ problems and questions better. It’s harder to learn virtually than in school,” says Carlos Robinson, Alexa Guglielmis cousin.

    My personal views and opinions on the school systems, choices have changed throughout the year. But my final thoughts on this whole argument is that students and staff should return to all in school everyday. There should be no more half days within school or days with no in school at all. I personally feel that the classes I am in could participate better in class than virtually. We could have such better connections with not only our friends, but with the teachers and what they are giving to us. It can also make us less isolated than we already are and bring the positivity around each other up.

But even if we do have in school all day, we should be following the COVID-19 safety procedures and keep ourselves and our classmates safe. Everyone’s opinions and statements matter during these times. We need to listen to each other so we can grow together with the problems that may happen to us. And by growing, we should have schools open up full-time to students and staff everyday. Everyone is hoping things will change for the better, but we will just have to wait on this answer.