Unlike the majority of my classmates, I find distance learning, for a lack of better words, to be AMAZING. Personally, I thrive in this type of learning environment, where there doesn’t exist any pre-determined schedules for lessons and coursework, but rather only due dates. It is, however, necessary to point out that online learning doesn’t go without its drawback. When asked to explore the multitude of options regarding how to resume schooling for the upcoming fall, I strongly felt that distance learning should continue to be implemented until a vaccine had been developed or the virus had completely waned. Here’s why:

With distance learning, I get to learn at my own pace. There is no nonsense. The number of times I had to sit through class listening to a boring lecture. I understand that some might be skeptical about online learning because they strongly hold onto the belief that there is simply nothing that can match the human interaction that we would get from face-to-face learning. And while a lot of students and teachers resonate with this notion, this is my personal stance on the situation.

By not restricting students to daily assignments and homework, it allows them to work at their own pace. I often find myself wasting an entire day talking to my friends online and watching TV shows and the next spending up to 8 hours doing school work. On top of that, not every student is fortunate enough to afford as much free time as I can, so by not restricting the amount of work one can do each day, the student is given the needed time and opportunity to complete their work wherever, whenever.

Epic album cover assignment.

So what are the negatives of distance learning?

Well, for starters, the complete lack of motivation and drive to continue with school is a detrimental cause as to why online education is incompatible with certain students. Early in the quarantine phase were we introduced to the “held harmless” policy, where the grades we earned up to March 13th were supposedly our final grades unless the grade we earned at the end of the semester is higher; policymakers and administrators passed this in an effort to support students who are seriously facing difficulty with this new system of schooling, but, it essentially took away what a lot of students, as well as myself, consider the main purpose of going to school. Therefore, as teachers continued to foist more and more assignments at those students who are satiated with their grades, they will only continue to view them as matters of indifference.

I, myself, out of respect and appreciation for the work my teachers who put extra effort into furthering our education despite the circumstances, still choose to continue with distance learning. While there are students who do not feel the same way, I know of many others who choose to keep at it and continue as well. If distance learning has taught me anything, it would be to take responsibility for your own work and be willing to take initiative for things that are in your reach. Rather than stop doing school work all in general, I try to do the most I could to the fullest of my capability, because this will end and it will be all over. We must keep this momentum.

This is most likely my last blog so here is one LAST thing I’ll leave you with: it’s only going to get better from here.