01.29.2022 Written by Trinity Thompson

 

Look, motivation for school is hard to find at the best of times, but when you are stuck at your desk, staring at a screen day in and day out, motivation is a needle in a haystack. When it is not downright frustrating or eye-wateringly boring, online school is doing its best to steadily chip away at a student's mental state. Online school has managed to make students even less engaged than the last day of school – little to no interaction over the google meet, where productivity plummets. Without being able to socialize at school, days begin to blend together as they seem monotonous and mundane.

 

Without a clear end in sight to this state of affairs, it becomes a cycle, a never-ending feedback loop. Teachers who try their best to keep their students engaged and students find themselves struggling to start last week’s assignment. Teachers and students alike have shared their dislike for this school model and yet this remains the safest option for whenever cases begin to peak. It is a necessary plight, even if now it is less appealing than it was in early 2020. 

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Virtual school has dulled over the past twenty-four months. Nearly two years ago, the idea of rolling out of bed just before school started, eating during class, and staying on your phone seemed like a gift in an uncertain and confusing time. Students, administrators, and parents are hoping the process either evolves to a point where it is not so devastating, or we go back to a time where it was never an option.

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