As COVID-19 continues to rage across the world, school looks a lot different this year.  The return to hybrid learning has its advantages and disadvantages, but one thing is for sure: it is one of the hardest things for a teenager to try to handle. 

There are many reasons why online learning is so difficult, but it’s not just difficult for the students, it’s just as difficult for the teachers. It is extremely hard to stay organized, and staying focused is even harder.  It can be hard to focus on school when you are stuck at home for three days with some or all of your family. You try to stay focused on learning and doing the things you need to do, while at the same time, trying to make sure everything is okay at home. But, when going to school in-person, it is much easier to focus on what needs to be done with no family distractions, and you can’t get interrupted by your phone, video games, or anything else you might get distracted by at home.

Teachers also have the tendency to give out “busy” work. Not all teachers do this, but some do because they are trying to overcompensate in order to make school seem like a so-called “normal year.” This has led to a lot of homework, and a lot of work that isn’t necessarily “busy” work, but doesn’t fit in well with what is being taught. 

Obviously, changing the format of school helps reduce the spread of Covid-19, but it is still rough on students, especially those who are seniors and are missing out on everything they’ve waited so long for, including homecoming, spirit week, and the annual pep rally. It’s also possible they’ll miss even the prom and senior trip. Athletes are even missing out on having a normal season to do the things that are necessary to be recruited by colleges. 

While I don’t believe we should go back full-time because of the circumstances the world is in right now, nor is it even safe or logical to do that, but even going into school twice a week can help students learn much easier. In-person learning helps students become engaged with the lesson that is being taught to them and it improves mental health for many students. Being away from social interaction for this long is terrible for most people, but especially teenagers. Clearly, the bad side of going to school twice a week is the fact that there is a greater risk of Covid being spread through increased social interactions, but for students, this may just be a risk people might have to face in order to achieve any sense of normalcy.