As the new school year commenced, students had to adjust from being able to walk around in school to staying at home and learning through daily Zoom meetings. All of these changes are making the start to this school year challenging. 

“It is a trial and error thing,” sophomore Maya Smith said. “The beginning of school is all about managing time and getting used to the workload and life schedule of the school.” 

   Like Smith, many students are also having different opinions regarding the new virtual environment as many are starting to go through the same process of waking up earlier than their usual summer schedule while handling the workload of their academics.

“For me, virtual learning is going alright, and one good thing regarding virtual learning is that since we are home, we can have our freedom to do whatever we want during our free time,” sophomore Maimun Ali said. 

Aside from the flexibility of personal freedom, Ali also mentioned that students face challenges, such as keeping up with homework and time management. 

“It’s a little difficult for me to keep up with all the assignments given virtually,” sophomore Ali said. “I make a weekly schedule with the work I have with all my assignments that are due or things I need to work on.”

Nevertheless, AP World History teacher Mrs. Jillian Schattle works diligently to prepare her students for studying. She said that she’s excited to start the new year while enabling all students to be successful. 

“Students can have flexibility over how they would like to complete assignments in a virtual environment,” Mrs.Schattle said; “however, Working via Zoom makes it much more difficult for me to get to know my students more as the school year progresses.”  

Mrs. Schattle also had to cut back several assignments, as she does not want to overwhelm students since, in school, students would usually be completing projects and games in a classroom setting. 

“I would recommend having a planner or schedule to stay on top of your work! Writing down all information you receive in your other classes not only helps you to remember but also ensures that you can keep track of when your assignments are due,” Mrs. Schattle said. 

Apart from the teacher’s suggestions, many students are also starting to adapt to a new system while trying their best to be successful and equipped for the new beginning. 

“Do not procrastinate since work gets piled up, especially at home with so many other life factors. It can get stressful,” Smith said. “Set a plan for yourself while making sure to take care of yourself as well and do not let school take over your life.

Here’s a list of suggestions for successfully starting the new school year in a virtual environment:

1. Do not procrastinate when the work gets piled up from all classes; start working once the homework is assigned. 
2. Set a plan for yourself about what you want to accomplish in one day or one week. For example, you can get a planner or type your todo lists daily on your device. 
3. Practicing self-care and relaxation techniques such as meditating, taking hot baths, and journaling can set aside oneself from school and destress. 
4. Stay organized online and offline by creating designated folders for each class and having journals and binders labeled to store papers and materials. 
5. When you are having problems with classes, contact your teacher or counselor immediately. 
6. Have a designated workspace for online schools to stay concentrated. In the workspace, eliminate as many distractions as possible such as video games and cell phones.