by Tanvi Rao (’22)| May 10, 2021
As spring break began, the Lancer community received exciting news. With the recent change in CDC guidelines, Saint Francis would be able to welcome its students back on campus for all four days of the school week. Teachers and students alike were elated that they would soon be able to return to a familiar school atmosphere. During the break, many students planned for their transition back to on-site learning.
With April coming to a close, a large portion of students and faculty has eased into the regular lifestyle of in-person school. Those who have journeyed onto campus remain relatively split, as they have found both positive and negative quirks about the new change. To further explore this significant event in our school’s quarantine adventure, I spoke to a number of Lancers who made the decision to attend in-person learning for all four days of the school week.
Carolyn Zhao (’22) found many benefits to returning to on-campus school, including the connections she made with her peers and a general balance of social interaction and work life: “It was rough at first, but these last few weeks being back has done wonders for rebuilding my social skills and stamina for being around people. It allowed me to reconnect with my sociable side, stopped me from dwelling too much in my head, and improved my mental health by so much.” The isolation from quarantine has taken a toll on students’ social life, which is why the change to on-site school has been beneficial to many.
In-person school also reintroduced several conveniences inside the classroom that students were deprived of online. Shona Sajan (’22) highlighted these benefits: “I found it easier to concentrate on my work in class rather than being distracted with something else… I feel a little more motivated to do my work now that I am slowly adjusting back to a normal routine. Overall, it’s been good so far!”
Sohini Pillay (’22) agreed, “I love seeing and interacting with my friends and teachers in person, and I feel like it’s a lot easier to stay focused during class.” Not only has in-person school strengthened the interaction between students and teachers, but it has also enabled students to concentrate and stay motivated with their schoolwork.
Although in-person school has had highly positive impacts on students, the drastic change from online school has also caused some difficulties. Shona added, “I think one con is definitely waking up early in the morning to get to school. Even though there isn’t much traffic like there is on a normal day, the fact that you have to drive yourself to school instead of waking up five to ten minutes before class is quite a change and a bit of a hassle.”
Sohini mentioned a similar dilemma: “I have to wake up earlier, and that can be a little overwhelming sometimes to have school in person and golf and homework.”
As the school year comes to a close, we are acknowledging the pros and cons of in-person class and understanding the impact it has on the well-being of our Saint Francis community. Although the hybrid schedule will continue until the end of this school year, we all look forward to a regular, in-person schedule for all students in the upcoming school year.
