The Troubles of Online School

By: Dottie Coleman

With COVID-19 on the rise, we have now turned to online schools to keep us all safe from the virus. Following this, students have been reported to feel demotivated, lonely, and depressed.

Online school is a new thing for all of us in the Capital High School community. There are pluses and negatives to this sort of learning though there’s one problem that’s common throughout the student body and that to stay motivated.

Demotivation has always been present among students in school, but it seems to be especially true now with all of us using computers at Capital. The new environment has taken many mental tolls on the student body that have a negative impact on how they perform in online school.

“I am just talking to a screen. It’s very lonely and depressing,” Laurin Ogg, a senior at Capital High School.

At first, they were excited about the fact of out of school learning, staying out of school, and doing things in the comfort of their own home was nothing more than a dream.

“I mean staying home is fun, and as an introverted person, I was looking forward to staying at home,” said ninth-grader, Emma Coleman.

However, in the coming days, these dreams were dashed when students realized how draining online school really was. The aspects of in-person school have been greatly missed.

“I miss school and socializing and just everything in school,” says Hailey Kanianich, a tenth grader of Capital High School.

Socializing is one thing that we as the human race need to stay happy and healthy. Stuck behind our screens now with nothing but busy work and lectures, we have no time for social outlets. This can be damaging to our mental health.

This is shown through increased demotivation throughout students. They’re having trouble focusing in classes and with the drop in socialization, finding the energy to participate and work in these classes has been harder than ever.

Laurin Ogg said, “I feel unmotivated all the time. We are only on our third month and I’ve pretty much given up hope.”

Though there are some ways of staying afloat in school. 

Emma Coleman, as well as others, said that avoiding a failing grade is what is keeping them from giving up entirely.

Taking a look at how students view and struggle with online school, it’s important to make their voices heard and change how things are done. This could be a slow change but it would still help if the student body gave feedback to the district.