Looking at the rest of the semester, it’s clear to see things are going to be a dramatically far cry from the way Penn State (or any other university, for that matter) has managed to handle teaching students in class. Everyone’s inexperienced with the software and there have been some notably humorous examples of growth pains in the transition period. Ultimately, this is going to end up amounting to a whole half-semester’s worth of formal education, and it’s going to be hard for people to realize that until it comes and goes. Luckily, though, there are some upsides to moving classes into the online sector, and it might be something worth giving some investment for what it’s worth in the meantime.
First and foremost, several studies have concluded that students certainly do learn something while on Zoom or other apps. MIT had this figured out almost 6 years ago, but, like any large change, it’s hard to implement quickly and effectively. Online learning has been an available alternative for this time, but, for some reason, it’s viewed by many as unequal and inferior to an in-person, brick-and-mortar degree. I personally remember the struggles my own mother manifested in trying to get a Master’s while she was taking care of me in my early childhood, and I know it’s not something Google fixes. As long as it’s coming from a qualified university, it has the same potential resources as any other path.
On a more casual note, online schooling gives so much time back to us, the students. Doing the math, I’m realizing how many minutes of my day I’m gaining back by not having to bike to school or get out of my pajamas. It’s allowing me to feel more engaged as I’m not frantically locking my bike and stripping my helmet off my head as my sweaty vessel fast-walks into class every day, only to do it again in an hour, rinse, and repeat. I think I have almost 45-60 minutes inserted back into my free time, and it’s helping me feel like I have more space to breathe.
Modeling my homemade pickles I made in my spare time
In the end, I miss the social interaction I get with a standard classroom, but it’s hard to beat the feeling of logging onto Zoom five minutes after waking up in my giraffe onesie instead of showering or generally looking acceptable. Perhaps there’s some merit in developing that routine, but I’m just happy that I have some ability to relax. College has proven to be an odd mix of formality and casualness, and this sort of event really blurs those lines even further. I will admit, though, not everyone is as accustomed or as willing to undergo this change. I’m thankful to have my partner staying with me through this quarantine in my townie loophole apartment, but I know others might be stuck with families that can’t accommodate them or have other circumstances that incur a lot of stress. My heart goes out to those students, and I hope we can all make it through this crisis and make our way back to having options.