It’s undeniable that these past eleven weeks have been hard. While I hate to describe this semester with this word because I know how it has been so overused in the past months, this academic semester is unprecedented.
At first, online school was undeniably exciting. I have 2 online classes this semester, and due to this I have spent a considerable amount of time on Zoom. Initially, I thought it was the most amazing thing ever that I could take my classes in the comfort of my bed, wearing my pajamas. Quickly into the semester, I realized if I timed my schedule right, I could run to South in between classes, grab my lunch, and then get to eat my meal while watching my lecture online. But, soon into the semester, I realized this convenience was hurting my education.
I have never had a harder time trying to focus than when I am taking my online classes. One of my professors said it best when he said that unlike a classroom, students have to make so much more of an effort to pay attention during class and no longer have the privilege of staring out their classroom window for a quick second to give themselves a short mental break. Instead, we must constantly focus. I have found that if I allow myself to break my focus during an online class for just a moment, I get so swept up in that seemingly short break and become unable to regain my focus, eventually realizing class is over and I just spent 30 minutes cleaning my room.
The shift to online classes has left students simultaneously overwhelmed by the rigor but also underwhelmed by the education we are receiving online. And while this is disappointing for us, in the past two weeks I have realized that we are forgetting about how like us, our teachers are equally burnt out. Their teaching experience has been equally crippled as Zoom does not allow them to connect with us in a fraction of the way they used to be able to. Because of this, I think that while as students we are extremely tired and stressed, we must remember our professors and make an effort to remember how difficult this must be for them as well.
Professors no longer get to experience the brief conversations before class begins and no longer get to have the simple joy of seeing our faces in person. I have noticed that it is so much harder to get students engaged in class discussions on Zoom due to the technological barricade and due to this, teachers undeniably feel less appreciated and acknowledged currently.
In the past week, my professors have all made efforts to lessen the stress my classmates and I are feeling. Whether this was offering me an additional unexcused absence, shortening papers, or allowing me to retake a class; it is so clear that teachers are recognizing how stressed their students are. Due to this, now more than ever we must return the favor and help our professors feel less burnt out. And there are so many simple ways to do so.
Don’t turn your video off during class and instead, help your professors see that you are listening and care about what they are teaching. Participate as much as possible and when you first get to class if it is the right environment, say hi to your teacher. Or simply unmute yourself when class ends and say thank you before you leave. These actions are simple, but could work wonders towards helping your professor feel noticed and important.
I know how stressed you most likely are feeling regarding academics. And I get how easy it is to get tunnel vision about this stress and forget about the people around you. But, hopefully we all can try to take little steps to address those who are equally stressed around us. Let’s start with helping our professors, who have given us so much this semester and now need us to give back to them.