In the midst of the world-wide lockdown, students and teachers were forced into the much dreaded, distance learning. Not only did this corner students into picking up a new way of learning, but also leaving teachers to learn a whole new way of teaching. So, what do students prefer, rolling out of bed 5 minutes before they have to log into zoom or attending school only to wear a mask and stay 6 feet away from their friends?

“Being social with teachers and students is what motivated me to come to school besides the learning aspect,” senior Abigail Rangel said. 

The majority of students can agree that distance learning has caused a lack of motivation and decreased their engagement in lessons and learning overall. Most students find that during distance learning, they find more distractions and do not pay as much attention to class as they would if they were in person. 

“I lost all motivation. The only reason my grades stayed up was out of habit,” freshman Katherine Eskes said. 

Learning through a screen is hard. Interaction with your teachers and classmates has been reduced by a lot. Through a screen, it is hard to meet new people and create new opportunities for yourself. Nonetheless, a large number of students reported having lost motivation during distance learning. Motivation such as not wanting to finish their school work, log into zoom classes, and stay in shape. 

“When I am around my friends and peers, I feel like my mental health is best,” freshman Jordan Stephenson said. 

A lot of students feel their happiest when they are able to interact with their classmates and peers, which is very difficult to do over a computer. It is safe to say most students feel their best when they are at school, on campus. 

“I definitely prefer in-person learning, but I fully support the need for distance learning at this point,” senior Brendan Lan says.