Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, I’m no longer working from my dorm room. Luckily, I live only four hours from my college, so I was able to retrieve all of my belongings. While our spring break was extended, teachers are still trying to figure out how online classes are going to work. Essay and Reading based classes are pretty easy to handle, but my software teachers are struggling to find ways of providing computers to students.
Although I was lucky enough to live close to school, moving out was still difficult. On the long drive to Vermont, I had to make sure I sanitized my hands at every rest stop. Maintaining the recommended social distance was difficult at times. When I arrived, I went to the residential life office to get access to my dorm room. The res life staff were kind and understanding. I think as students we should give them thanks. They have been working incredibly hard to make moving out as easy as possible. One impediment I have is that I recently moved. I don’t have a desk available to me right now, so my dining room is serving as a make-shift office.
With that in mind, the teachers have also been working their asses off trying to set up an online lesson plan. As mentioned earlier, my reading and discussion based classes are simpler to manage. My other three classes have it harder. With my Production class, we are no longer able to work with out teams in person, which hinders productivity immensely. Some teachers still have not yet figured out how students will do some of their work. Others are having students download extra programs on their machines in the hope that it will help.
This is scary. Being forced out of school for three weeks is absolutely terrifying. I’m faced with issues I’ve luckily never had to face before. One thing that I’ve learned is its never the wrong to be thankful for what you have. I have the luxury of multiple working computers (with different operating systems) to do all of my work. I also have the luxury of family living close to school. Others live abroad and are in a foreign country without family. In times like these, remember to stay thankful.
Eliana Perez 