Learning Virtually: A Global Pandemic Dilemma
This essay was submitted as part of the FCSS-FESC’s Beyond the Page Essay Contest. As such, it represents the opinions of Irham Khimji and is not representative of the official stance of the FCSS-FESC.
The COVID-19 pandemic has without a doubt drastically reshaped my life and the lives around me. It has made me aware of all the simple things I took for granted like pushing through a crowd at an amusement park or seeing people’s entire faces and smiles. The lockdowns have affected many different aspects of my day-to-day life, but by far the aspect that has most been affected is my learning.
I have been learning from home for about a year now, and I can say that it has certainly been a rollercoaster. There are many advantages and disadvantages of learning non-linear equations from the comfort of my home. My schedule has changed quite a bit and I seem to have more time in the day. For instance, the time I would normally spend commuting from home to school and vise versa can now go towards understanding chemical reactions a bit better or analyzing a Shakespeare line a bit deeper. The time spent on the bus or in a car can now go towards studying and advancing my comprehension of a certain subject which results in better performance in school. Another advantage of schooling from home is that I have become more technology oriented. What I mean by this is that my technological skills have improved and are constantly evolving. For example, learning online has pushed me to practice my typing skills and now I can use all my fingers to type which results in my WPM slowly increasing. This in turn allows me to take notes on my laptop which I find more efficient. Furthermore, my class notes are a lot more organized and this helps when I am revising which in turn, has a positive impact on my academic performance. There is absolutely no doubt that technology is and will continue to become a very vital piece of everyday life and being technology oriented will be necessary in order to successfully navigate the modern world. Virtual school has allowed me to develop these skills and I continue to do so by using a variety of online platforms to conscientiously complete my work.
However, doing school virtually also has its disadvantages such as not seeing my friends for a duration of time which contributes to feeling lonely and stressed, or not feeling as healthy and active as before. To overcome such challenges, I have put aside some time in my day to go on walks right after class which not only allows me to give my brain a rest and get some fresh air but to also get a change of scenery. According to research done at the University of New York and the University of Miami, having a change of scenery not only reduces stress but also increases happiness. To beat the loneliness, I call my friends whilst on my walks. This allows me to communicate and maintain a healthy relationship with those close to me despite the limited interactions. Occasionally, I also sketch as an outlet for my creativity and my thoughts. These are only some of the solutions I have found to be useful to cross the challenges presented with learning virtually.
Overall, my experience during the lockdown and online learning has been bumpy. There are many advantages such as more time in my day which in turn ascents my academic performance. Unfortunately, this modern schooling system also comes with some challenges, but I find ways to overcome these difficulties while also living safely and buoyantly during these unparalleled times.
This essay was submitted as part of the FCSS-FESC’s Beyond the Page Essay Contest. As such, it represents the opinions of Irham Khimji and is not representative of the official stance of the FCSS-FESC.
Originally published on April 13, 2021.
