No matter who you are Covid has affected you. For students, school has changed in many ways. Not only has the schedule changed quite a few times, but the way that they’re learning, the requirements they have to meet, and how they get their school work done and turned in has as well. 

Now that all students have become remote learners, they’re stuck on the computer from 7:50 in the morning to 2:50 in the afternoon. That is a total of 5 hours, plus however much time they take to finish what they couldn’t get done during class. 

The way that attendance is taken is quite strange as well. Teachers have to bounce around in the zoom call to make sure they get everyone. Even if it shows you are there most teachers will count you absent if your camera is not on, unless you give them a good reason to have it off. 

At first, during hybrid learning, Mr. Maxey had each student’s school photo on a laminated piece of paper. On one side he had the students who are attending school in person and on the other side he had the remote students. He would search through the call and look around the room and mark off the people he saw with an Expo Marker. Now, he still has the piece of laminated paper but the students are in alphabetical order and he marks everyone off as they come in. Mr. Maxey said, “It’s much easier than searching for everyone.” 

Students are finding it difficult to focus, especially the ones who prefer to work on paper rather than on the computer (and do not have a printer at home) and the ones who need more help from the teachers. Sure you can still ask for help and they will try their best to do so, but for tactile learners it just isn’t much help at all. Some students are even purposely missing classes because they believe that they’re going to fail anyway. “I dropped all of my electives, teachers weren’t answering my emails,” said Ethan Blount, sophomore.

Many students have also been having problems with their computers and their internet, therefore not allowing them to make it into class on time or even at all. This has taken a toll on their grades. “It’s a lot of stress, being online limits the amount of things you can do, plus you can’t see or be near people. Only two of my teachers really answer people and keep an eye on the chat. When I was remote before most people I got no help. Which has caused my grades to go down,” said, Hannah Erickson, sophomore.