By Kalli Colacino
Opinions Editor
As the third week of online classes is upon us, students and professors alike seem to be falling into a “new normal,” which consists of online Zoom meetings, virtual office hours and even Canvas exams.
Instead of waking up at 9 a.m. to make it to my 11 a.m. class, I can now sleep until 10:30 a.m. Don’t get me wrong—I love the extra hour and a half of sleep in the morning. But I don’t love sitting at my desk and staring at my laptop for hours while I listen to a professor drone on.
Online classes are much harder than in-person classes.
It might feel good to stay at home all day once in a while, but I’m someone who enjoys getting out of the house as much as I can. Driving to school almost every morning and sitting down in a classroom is something I never thought I’d miss—but here I am, missing it.
As much as I love staying in my cozy pajamas and laying with my dog, I can’t do it everyday. I find it hard enough to sit still and focus through an hour and a half of a conventional class, let alone attend class on a computer screen at home.
In the classroom, it’s much easier to pay attention and focus. The experience is much more enjoyable, as professors often interact with the class, use the chalkboard and ask questions. Although my professors try their best to keep things interesting, online classes just aren't the same.
Although the material might be the same, online classes have proven to be harder for me than in-person classes. This might be because I can’t sit in my room on my laptop for three hours straight like I can in class, or because the atmosphere is just so different.
I miss struggling to find a parking spot and rushing to a classroom—something I thought I’d never say. While it might be nice to “take” my dog to class with me everyday, it’s not something I want to get used to.
