You awaken to the painstaking blare of your alarm clock and groan tiredly. It’s Monday again? How did the weekend manage to rush by so fast? You reluctantly roll over, shut off your alarm, and use the pillow underneath you to prop yourself up. Your hands scramble to find the sleek, cool touch of your Macbook among your rumpled sheets before you go to your most visited website: Canvas. Ah, another day of school.

The coronavirus has completely shattered the structure and routine of everyday life for people all across the world. Like many other important businesses and organizations, school campuses have shut down due to the pandemic. Students are having to trade face-to-face lectures in a classroom for glitchy Zoom calls in bed. Although we live in a technology-driven world, the transition to online learning has been far from seamless. So, how are people handling this new normal?

“I’ve adjusted pretty well,” Makayla Montalvo (12) said. “The majority of my classes were already online-based so being at home has allowed me to learn more than I would have at school.”

Some students have found that attempting to stick closely to their old routine has helped them handle the current situation.

“I’ve still kept the habit of waking up around 7:30 to start online school each day and I at least finish all my work before the afternoon,” Cyllia Alvarado (12) said.

While many individuals are struggling without their usual learning environment, others only miss the social aspect of attending public school.

“The only downside to this adjustment is not getting face-to-face time with my peers,” Montolvo said. “I miss seeing my friends and my AP Environmental Science class everyday.”

After having several weeks to adjust, the idea of online learning has become a lot less daunting for students.

“It does feel weird not seeing friends everyday and not being on my regular routine for weekdays, but I have quickly gotten used to online school now,” Alvarado said.

Some have yet to completely adapt to the change of pace.

“It’s hard to wake up in time for the virtual tour sessions,” Daylon McClendon (11) said. “ I have to wait to ask certain questions about assignments because we’re not face-to-face anymore.”

Many believe it’s essential to create the best, most stress-free atmosphere at home to remain concentrated while working.

“When doing online school work, I simply stay in bed and do the work I need to do for the day with zero distractions around me,” Alvarado said. “I sometimes catch myself listening to music to help me focus.”

Not everyone’s method of staying on top of assignments looks the same.
“I start my assignments at 10:30 a.m.,” Montalvo said. “While I work, I listen to loud music in my kitchen.”

The adjustment to this new routine has not been easy, but students have found a way to remain positive regardless of the circumstances.

“I miss seeing all of my friends at school and just spending actual time with people other than my family,” Alvarado said. “I still hope we will be able to go back to normal school soon.”