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For many individuals, the shutdown of the United States in March 2020 due to COVID-19 came as a shock that had never-ending consequences, such as having to wear masks when in public, having to social distance and quarantining. One consequence that hit the hardest was the transition for students from person learning to remote learning.
When asked how they felt about the switch to remote learning, Olivet College freshman Isabell Young had a bit of a mixed reaction, stating the positives and negatives.
“I felt that remote learning was an appropriate choice with the global pandemic” said Young, but also noted that it has been “really mentally draining and makes me [Young] often feel cooped up and alone in my dorm room. I do not leave except to eat and then each day is the same routine.”
As for the positives of the situation, Young, who bowls for the Olivet bowling team, felt that remote learning has helped when it comes to their sport, as it gives them a chance to ‘get out of classes and get to the alley with plenty of time.’
Sophomore Ronnie Pompey Jr did not have the same outlook on the switch when it came to his sport or his grades overall, though, saying that he has found it difficult.
“It has been a challenge because I like to get to know the teachers, so they do not think I am just a stereotypical jock,” said Pompey.
Playing for Olivet College’s football team, Pompey’s schedule is often extremely busy. He also mentioned the negative impact the switch has had on his grades.
“It has actually affected my grades and studying a lot. My grades have been on a decline and my studying tactics have somewhat disappeared,” Pompey. “The switch has influenced me in the sense that I know I have to work much harder in order to get what I want.”
Freshman Molly Lehman, who does not play a sport but is involved in Olivet College’s Band, mentioned that she has mixed feelings on the switch to remote learning.
“The switch is not awful depending on which class you are in, as well as what professor you have. They can make it difficult to learn,” said Lehman. When asked about her grades, Lehman says that her grades have been okay, due to the “temptation to turn off your camera and go online shopping, or maybe take a little power nap” but she “personally learns better in face-to-face classes” and “needs everyday face to face interaction with her teachers, friends, and classmates.”
As for her involvement in the band, Lehman states that being enrolled in a band this semester has been difficult.
“The band director is super cautious about COVID-19 and not letting anyone get sick, which I appreciate. He found ways where we can be a band on an app which collects our music we record and then collages our recordings together. Mr. Duby is going the extra mile to keep us safe and to enjoy band!”
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