Initially like many other students, Alexyss Knab thought Covid-19 would be gone before she knew it. As she came to find out that in person courses would be transitioning fully online she wasn’t very concerned.
That slowly began to change as the semester passed.
Knab then began to realize that this was not a short-term matter. Covid-19 came as a shock to everyone including professors unprepared for online teaching.
Knab said the education she was receiving online was not the same as the one she would receive if it were in person.
She began having difficulties with getting help for her classes. She would have to wait days to receive a response back for questions about lectures and school became challenging. It was arduous keeping up with schoolwork and maintaining grades when sometimes lectures were not very clear and help was hard to obtain, she said.
On top of this, Knab would struggle whenever the internet would go out at home, making her miss lectures or exams.
“The things I can really say that I miss are how normal things were before covid such as not having to wear a mask or worry about how close I am to classmates and also being able to ask questions and get an answer straight away rather than have to email back and forth” said Knab.
After experiencing what online education was like, Knab had to make a tough decision. She only needed a math and science course before she could transfer out. But she knew that she wouldn’t receive the same quality education online as she would in person so she decided to take a break until in-person classes resume.
Like Knab, Erika Pongos felt that online learning came with challenges and the education wasn’t the same.
It became difficult for Pongos because she is a hands-on person who comprehends the material better when it’s face-to-face. Some other things Pongos found challenging were having to be home all day, it can be difficult to be in the house for extended periods of time with multiple family members.
What Pongos most misses is being able to interact and be a part of a warm learning environment. She continues to pursue her education but is really looking forward to when she can step foot back on campus and interact with her classmates.
