Computer to Classroom

By: Saanvi Saaja

2020 was a very eventful year, as we all know, and we'll all remember it even when we’re 40 years old or so. It’s a year I plan to tell my grandchildren about. For most people, the isolation from the outside world made it so hard, but it probably felt impossible for students going to school during that time. At first, we all thought it was just going to be an extra week of spring break, but then two weeks went to a month, and the month eventually led to a whole year. In that year, we spent ten months learning behind a computer. We sat there listening to boring lectures through zoom, and let's be honest, we all just turned off our screen and spent the entire time watching Tiktoks. It was hard, but somehow we got used to it and dealt with it. Now, however, after a year of online learning, we are back to normal. We only had to deal with quarantine for about a year; however, most of us changed a lot. When I came back to school, I didn't recognize anyone, and honestly, I forgot how to interact with people. I went from being a high school freshman to a whole Junior in a blink of an eye, and I know I am not the only one struggling to come back.

How do we transition from a computer to a classroom? How do we go from zoom classes back to interactive lessons with peers and teachers? Through quarantine, we adapted to the online learning lifestyle. It was hard to pay attention, especially when even teachers were not in the mood to teach. All I can say is that we need to take baby steps during this transition. Learning in school is so much easier than learning from a computer,r especially because now I have no option but to pay attention. Getting back into the daily schedule of getting up and going to school, then coming back from school and going to all your activities can be hectic, but honestly, it's what we all need. Sitting at home all day was so boring and now I can actually go places and do things. School is tough for everyone, so it's ok to depend on teachers and other students for help. Take notes and maintain your time. Most importantly, take a break every so often. In hopes of a better and in-person future here are a few tips to make the transition successful:

1. Plan Ahead: Build a plan and a checklist of things you want to accomplish. Following a schedule might help with the transition into in-person. Having tangible outcomes to aspire towards will make your life easier.

2. Build Connections: Going back to in-person classes makes communication vital. Attend events and reach out to friends to continue building connections with others.

3. Get involved in school: Reach out to teachers in your areas of interest to resume or start joining clubs that interest you. If you're not sure what interests you, make google searches and ask seniors for advice.

4. Focus on positives: Look at the bright side of in-person classes. This means the boring zoom sessions end, right? Now you get to go to school with your friends, instead of staring at a screen all day.

5. Don't procrastinate: Going to in-person classes means homework needs to be done on time and readings need to be completed to further understand concepts in class. In virtual classes, deadlines were often at the end of the week but now assignments must be completed on time. Organize deadlines in a planner or keep track of them in another way.

6. Put your mental health first: Transitioning to high school may not be easy but it's important to put your health and happiness first. Work towards goals but enjoy the moment and live your life in the moment.

School can be overwhelming, but everyone is in this together. Remember, all students around the world are going through a similar transition right now.