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I hope that the class of 2022 can walk across the stage and receive our diplomas in person.

Why am I, a senior possibly suffering from senioritis, supporting in-person-school learning?

 I can understand wanting to stay in your house and stay in your bed all day, but doing that all the time can get tedious quickly. Not being able to see your friends and being overwhelmed by homework during online learning is an experience many of us are all too familiar with. That’s a feeling I don’t want to relive. 

Yes, texting is a way of communication but going from seeing everyone multiple times a day to calling a couple friends for an hour is a big shift.  At least at school, we have a chance to regularly meet up with friends while everyone follows covid testing protocol every week.

As a senior this will be my last year of high school and I want the feeling of staying in a classroom and getting taught in person rather than online. I think it is much easier and better for everyone to engage in a class effectively. One of the many complaints by students about the covid year was about how little they learned over that time. 

CON: IN-PERSON LEARNING

In-person learning is putting students at risk

Online learning was a constant source of annoyance.. I couldn’t concentrate and the struggle of the internet always cutting off or being slow was frustrating. Some teachers didn’t really know how to use the technology given to them. They had little to no formal training and not a lot of time to learn how to use the new online format. 

I understand that it was necessary to go virtual and we could still go back because of new variants. But for all of my reasons, I do wish that wouldn’t happen again. I have no say in how the world will change in the months to come. If given the chance to choose to stay, I would stay every time. 

I want to walk the stage in front of my classmates, get my diploma and feel like a normal senior. I hope that also means I can feel safe and at school while doing that.