Online schooling can be overwhelming for many students. For others, it’s better than going to school normally, in person. Online schooling comes with both its disadvantages and its positive outlooks. Here are some of the pros and cons of it.  

Starting off with some of the disadvantages of online schooling is the lack

of social interaction. On Google Meets, students may find it hard to turn on their cameras. They may feel shy, insecure, or even awkward at times. In a recent poll I posted on my Instagram story, 84% of people voted “No” to having their cameras on during Google Meet sessions. Some explained they didn’t have their cameras on because they didn’t feel comfortable with certain classes, while others explained that they just choose to keep their cameras off because they just don’t want it on.

Another disadvantage of online schooling would be the technology problems. We can all agree that during our first week of school, we were experiencing some technical difficulties. Can you count how many times Canvas crashed? However, when it comes to technical problems, teachers aren’t the only ones experiencing it. Many students’ internet connections have been cut out, especially while they were in the middle of a Google Meet session.

“My internet connection had cut out on me twice, and they were both in my Google Meet session,” senior Marissa Kim said. “Not only was it annoying, I missed some important information in my class.” 

Having your internet connection cut out on you can be very stressful at times. 67% of people who voted on my Instagram story about having technical problems voted “Yes,” they’d had some problems. 

Another disadvantage is the lack of attention during online sessions. I know many students, who wouldn’t like to be named, have slept during some of their classes. They’ll join the Google Meet, turn their camera and mic off and go to sleep while they are in the live session. This shows students aren’t really paying attention to the lesson or whats happening in class.  

Procrastination is another big con about online schooling. Students have to learn how to manage their day and get their assignments in on time by themselves. This can also be hard for many students, including the newcomers, freshmen. 

“It was pretty difficult to transition from middle school to high school like this,” said freshman Makana Kukonu. “I had a hard time trying to do the work myself or getting to Google Meets at first.”

This can be really frustrating and hard for the newcomers. They are transitioning into high school right now blindly. Many teachers aren’t familiar with technology as much so when they are having a hard time, the students are as well.

To start procrastinating it starts with the assignments teachers assign. Sometimes teachers post a lot of assignments, making it overwhelming for some students.

“I feel teachers give us a lot of work because we can do it all the time, but sometimes it’s too much work.” senior Joan Cabiles said.

The workload teachers give out can be pretty excessive sometimes, especially, when they assign more work because we are home and because classes are shorter.  

But there are definitely some positive outlooks on online schooling, starting with attending school from your bedroom. Now we all can agree that one of our dreams was doing school from our bedrooms. Not only has this dream been accomplished, but you are learning in your own comfort. You can immediately open your computer from your bed and start school. 

Another positive is having a flexible schedule. By far, every student I have interviewed has said that they like having the current schedule. It’s not only flexible, but many students are finding it very helpful. When they need to finish work, they don’t need to stress about having to finish it in an 80 minute class period, but they can finish it throughout the day. The flexible, shorter schedule helps students who have jobs as well.

“Having this schedule makes it easier for me to relax and do my school work, but I also work a lot so having it be flexible is even better.” said senior Aleiyah Byrd. 

Not only has online school helped us with schedules and how we get ready for school, but it also prevents us from drama. Every teenager knows that drama is everywhere, especially in high schools. That’s why being online can prevent drama from happening. You don’t really hear people talking about others as much because we can’t really see them when their camera is off or know what they are doing because we aren’t there with them. This prevents distractions, as that’s what drama causes most of the time. It gives students some room to focus on school and avoid worrying about silly little things. 

The last positive thing about online school would be that you can spend time with family. Being home 24/7,  you are most likely going to see your family all the time. This also gives you the chance to get to know them more or grow and make your relationship even stronger. 

The 20-21 school year didn’t start how we expected it to, but we can get through this time of change that’s been upon us. I hope we can all see each other soon once again, but for now, stay inside, wear a mask when you are out, and most importantly, be safe, Skyhawks!