The world has been a very crazy place lately. A lot of things have changed and there are new rules no one would ever think we would have to follow. A big change for most is online school or only being able to go in one to two times a week. Opinions vary on how people feel towards online school and the CST has asked a few students how they feel on the topic. 

Frankie Dennehy, a sophomore at the Lindenhurst High School, gave her opinion to the CST on what she thinks about working from home.  She said, “Online school is okay; I like in person better. Online schooling is way better now than it was in March-June. My teachers are really working hard to make sure I’m understanding everything that’s going on in class, whether I’m in person or online. When we were quarantined and online in March through June it was kind of like my teachers were throwing work at me, not really seeing if I understood it or not.”

From being in school five days a week to now going to school one to two times a week: it is a very different world for students. Some not at all. Frankie’s take on that was, “I think my choice of half and half instead of full remote was the better option because being full remote wouldn’t give me the sense of understanding that I have since I’m half and half. Since I go in 1-2 times a week I can talk with my teachers to understand things better.”

Julie Leon, another sophomore at the Lindenhurst High School, had a similar opinion on the topic. “I personally believe that students aren’t retaining as much information as they would in school. At home kids are unfocused as opposed to being in the classroom where they are present and learning. However online school is very necessary for the safety of students and staff. I know it’s difficult to be learning/teaching through the computer screen but it’s the best option we have considering other families that have siblings or parents that go to work.” 

Speaking upon the fact that most students are unfocused during school at home, some students also say that they are more focused at home because they don’t have any classmates to distract them or conversations going on in the background. But Julie makes a point that some kids can’t focus when at home or can’t learn without the teacher near. Frequent complaints from students are that they can’t stare at a computer screen for six hours or that they don’t understand what’s going on because the teacher is going too fast. It may just depend on what kind of learner you are.

As we all know, it is not easy to be a freshman; imagine if this is your first year at Lindenhurst High School? CST had asked Sophia Vollmuth, who is a freshman this year, how she feels on starting her first year in high school online. “Oh I think that the schedule when we’re home is working out good. I don’t really have that much to complain about on that. But I did want to go meet new friends and meet my teachers better.  It’s so hard to talk to everyone when you’re sitting six feet away from them and there’s only 25% capacity. I was upset about the football games and not being able to do sports.”

A lot is going on in the world and the main priority right now for schools is to keep everyone safe. Everyone might not agree with how that is being done, but at the end of the day at least it is being done. And remember WEAR YOUR MASKS.