Struggles faced by students in America caused by COVID-19

Shared struggles that students are facing when adapting to a new temporary lifestyle

By: Alex Aldana

American citizens and specifically students are going through a tough time dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 struck with no warning and left people picking up the pieces in a rush. Most didn’t get to say their final goodbyes. In a time like this, people all over the world are facing the same struggles, leaving most reflecting on what could have been and what should have been.

University of Georgia senior Jessica Langdon didn’t expect COVID-19 to be a problem that would last more than two weeks. She viewed The University of Georgia’s two week suspension as an extension to her spring break.

However, ever since President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency on March 13, she changed her mindset. “I have been taking the stay at home mandate probably more seriously than any of my friends,” she said. “I wipe down containers when I get my food to go.” But not all young people are changing their views on the importance of the pandemic like Langdon.

Langdon is trying to keep a positive approach to the mandate by staying at home and using her extra time to work on new creative projects.

She has been struggling with staying motivated on academic work and says the hardest part of quarantine is adjusting to a new routine that isn’t waking up and going to her usual classroom. She finds motivation in her classroom from her teachers and peers which is now taken away from her.

Students in high school are also seeing negative effects in academic motivation like Creekview High School senior Maggie Langdon. Langdon’s school year came to an end on April 1, when Gov. Brian Kemp announced that he is extending the current closure of schools for the rest of the year. Langdon was disappointed she had to miss her senior experiences like her senior cruise, prom and walking at graduation. Many high schools are looking for alternatives with the possibility of a virtual graduation.

“I’ve become lazy and do not put nearly as much time and thought into my schoolwork,” Langdon said. “Learning online is a struggle for me because I get easily distracted.” It is clear that a student’s environment has effects on their performance and for Langdon the distractions of being at home is causing her a lot of trouble. Many students have been keeping up their grades throughout the school year and are worried that this switch to online classes could negatively affect their final grade as the semester ends. The Georgia Department of Education is looking to find a solution that is fair to the students considering these hard times.

Langdon said that she is happy that her and her family are safe and healthy. She is enjoying her switch from a fast paced lifestyle, that is normally filled with school and work.

Ananda Rittenhouse, a student at the University of Oregon that finds herself in a similar situation as our previous interviewees.

Even though Rittenhouse is across the country her community is affected in the same way. Her schooling is now online, local businesses are struggling, and she’s stuck in her home practicing social distancing. Rittenhouse says she is trying to keep a positive mindset but it’s hard with the consistent talk on the news about the number of deaths and cases. She went as far as saying that she’s stopped watching because “it isn’t good for my mental.”

“I absolutely hate online school. I have a hard time paying attention regularly,” she said. “Now that my schedule is all up to me it’s even harder to keep up with material that doesn’t have a specific deadline.” Motivation seems to be the main struggle with students that are transitioning to online schooling. Rittenhouse is attempting to stay motivated and she hopes that her first semester as a senior this coming August is on the University of Oregon’s campus.

Our times are unfortunate and uncertain, but community members and business are trying their best to cope with the sudden change. The school year is coming to an end and summer is on the way. Citizens are hopeful for the economy to reopen in the following weeks as they attempt to surpass the peak and flatten the curve by being responsible.