Do you practice at-home workouts? Or do you have to go to the gym to get into the groove of things? Maybe you need to attend a workout class to get your sweat fix. Maybe you just need a bike and some tunes so that you can ride alone for an hour. Everyone has their own way of exercising, whether on their own or in a group setting. The same could and should be said of learning.
When the pandemic pushed distance learning to be the primary mode of instruction, it was a difficult transition for many. The extreme stress some students felt from having to suddenly shift from in-class work to completely online was palpable.
“I need to be in class in order to focus,” UNLV student Maria Santana said. “My grades suffered because I couldn’t find a good place to study or to focus on class in my house with my three siblings running around.“
Many miss the college experience because of distance learning. They miss making connections with fellow classmates, joining clubs and expanding their network of people as well as becoming immersed in campus life.
For some, it is a personal requirement to engage in campus life. How can you replicate the feeling of meeting with classmates after class to study, or grabbing a pizza and spending hours socializing?
With that being said, although in-person instruction should always be an option for those who thrive on campus, that doesn’t mean everyone should have to commit to in-person courses. While some may struggle through virtual school, others are still able to complete their schoolwork and pass with flying colors.
If the pandemic has proved anything, it is that online learning is doable, and not to mention that it’s also more accessible for students who live off-campus. Most of our social lives are now embedded in Discord chats, text messaging and Instagram, alienating us even further from social interactions.
Distance learning is here to stay, as it should be, because life does not pause for school amid a pandemic. Students lead complex lives that include work, family life, children and other circumstances that should not stop them from achieving the dream of graduating college.
Schools have a duty to make their education as accessible as possible to anyone willing to strive for higher education. The flexibility and ease of access to this type of education makes it a worthwhile endeavor to push forward in the years to come.
