By Joyce Gong:
On a seemingly uneventful March day, students filed out of Belmont High School as the last bell rang, not knowing what was to come. The COVID-19 pandemic swept through the United States, altering everyone’s lives forever. The Belmont students and faculty members had no idea that the impact would be so great, both on themselves and on the people around them.
Today is October 13, 2020. We have been out of physical school for 214 days. Some are feeling anxious, others restless. Luckily or unluckily, depending on your viewpoint, schools, including our very own Belmont High School, are hoping to go hybrid very soon.
Before students return to school officially, I wanted to write something that summarized students’ opinions about going back to school and coronavirus in general. Students had very different opinions about the experience, and that is why it is so important to share their views.
When asked to rank the coronavirus’s impact on their lives on a scale from 1 to 5 – 1 being “no impact,” 5 saying it “changed everything” – no student answered 1. In fact, the most common choice, selected by 41.8% of the students who voted, was 4. Many students felt that the coronavirus epidemic had hindered their daily lives completely. One student wrote: “I’m so grateful that my family and I are still safe and healthy, but it’s really exhausting having to worry about their health every day. It has also been very difficult being out of school and having to navigate classes in a virtual setting, as well as having to give up activities that we’ve loved for so long but are now simply too high risk. I’m still just so grateful for how lucky I’ve been to not get sick.” Several students felt “unmotivated,” “frustrated,” “lonely,” “anxious,” and “overwhelmed.” All of these viewpoints were understandable given the situation. Students also mentioned feeling like they did not have a voice as adults decided how to go forward during the pandemic; hopefully, this survey gave students a forum to express their opinions.
Although most students felt that coronavirus had a negative impact on them, often mentioning their physical health, many felt that their mental health had seen significant improvements. One student said that even though they felt that their life was harder to manage, “[they get] to spend more time with [their] family and [they have] more time for [themselves] since there's less time spent transporting [themselves] everywhere.” They added that they are also “just a hugely different person” who cares less about “social norms” and more about “figuring out who [they are] and what [they want] to do with [their] life.”
Finding the brightness in the current situation can be incredibly difficult, which is why it is so amazing and important that students are finding things that have changed for the better in their lives, without forgetting the devastating impact of the pandemic. One student said, “I was not very social before and didn't really meet up with friends outside of school or anything, but what really opened my eyes was how much I took being at home for granted, and how my extracurriculars, which got me out of the house nearly daily, had gone virtual.” This relates to my personal experience: in my English class this year, my wonderful teacher Ms. Bloom mentioned that she felt that although she had less friends than before quarantine, her current friendships were much deeper and more meaningful. I agreed with this completely; I feel that even though I have lost a few friends, the relationships I’ve developed with the friends I have now are extremely supportive and purposeful.
Another trend I noticed in the results of the form was that some students felt almost guilty that their lives had improved while so many others’ had gotten harder. Students who chose to remain anonymous were much more likely to say that their lives had improved than students who revealed their names. A few students even said they felt bad that they were developing into better people while others were losing their friends and families. Whether or not there was a significant link between remaining anonymous and stating that quarantine has improved life, I don’t think that it is wrong to feel like life has improved. In my view, students are simply trying to stay optimistic in an unprecedented situation. There is nothing wrong with living your life to the best of your ability.
It is important to recognize that coronavirus has caused unimaginable loss, and of course it is important to take the disease seriously and follow safety protocols. However, separately focusing on yourself and your mental health should not be a reason for guilt.
One thing I found ironic is that although, physically, we are masked now, many students have removed their metaphorical masks and let people in. I think it is incredible that people have learned to communicate with their eyes instead of their facial expressions, and that they are still able to find ways to express themselves. Sharing your identity is a hard thing to do, which is why it is so incredible that people are removing their metaphorical masks to share their personalities and thoughts with classmates, teachers, and faculty members.
Overall, the responses about virtual learning and ideas for hybrid education were relatively positive. Most students felt that virtual learning was going better than expected, and appreciated how hard the faculty has been working to keep school running. Nonetheless, many felt that virtual classrooms were not an effective way of learning, and found it difficult to stare at a screen all day. Once hybrid learning begins, students hope to do more hands-on learning, which, they believe, will motivate them and create a more distinct line between home and school life.
Finally, some students had suggestions that they wished to voice to the whole school. First, they wanted more breaks during classes, because eighty-minute classes can feel very long and breaks are necessary to better stimulate students’ learning. Also, students hoped that X Block could be made more independent, rather than being controlled by teachers. One student suggested that X1 could be teacher time and X2 could be a free block, since online learning does not seem to build in as much free time as in-school learning did.
I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to hear and amplify what the students of Belmont High School had to say. I am also grateful that so many students had a positive outlook even in the darkest of times. I think that the students’ resilience is truly inspiring. Lastly, like everyone else, I am incredibly grateful that we are still able to lead somewhat normal lives, and that there aren’t too many coronavirus cases around us. I want to leave everyone with a question to reflect on: Why is it important to you, especially in this situation, to not give up?