Showing up to an online class is no easy feat. With short breaks and classes that seem to never end, it is now easier than ever to feel drained after a day of “school”…especially when you know that you still have a boatload of homework to do. For most, it’s been hard to stay motivated. However, even through these tough times of quarantine and online school, students have been able to find new hobbies and methods for keeping themselves on track.

Lauren Murray ‘23 claims, “It makes me feel like my day is repeated. I feel like I just wake up everyday, look at a screen all day and then it just starts all over.” She hasn’t been the only one experiencing this Groundhog’s day-like feeling. Many students have felt the same repetitiveness that comes with online schooling. 

When asked about some of the challenges of online school, Kayla Osumi ‘22 stated that “It’s kinda hard to communicate with the teachers through Canvas and Zoom. There can be internet issues and there can be a lot of information that is accidentally not said. You can’t really just walk into someone’s classroom and ask them.” This part is especially tricky when it comes to online learning. Technology isn’t perfect, so when someone has problems with their connection it makes it hard to get the information that they need. Not to mention that if you do miss this information you have to send and wait for an email reply rather than go to their class during a passing period or FIRE.

However, even with all of these problems, there are some good things to come out of online learning. Osumi has found that online school has granted her more time for completing work. She states, “I have more time in my day to do stuff and get stuff done.” This is definitely a perk because even though it might be harder to complete assignments, there is more time to complete them.

The Coronavirus has made it hard to participate in extracurricular activities. Clubs now have to meet over Zoom. Athletes are unable to meet without taking extra precautions. Even activities outside of school are being cancelled or moved over to Zoom. Without these extracurricular activities, students have more free time on their hands, especially with classes ending earlier and the inability to hang out with friends. A good way to spend this extra time is by picking up a new hobby. Some of these include hiking, playing an instrument, creating artwork, baking or even starting your own business. Having a hobby can keep you from feeling burnt out or suffering from a lack of motivation.

Murray has picked up an interesting hobby; making bucket hats with her sewing machine. “It’s fun, I’ll just find random materials and then make a bucket hat out of it,” Murray states. This creative activity can be enjoyable and alleviate stress.

However, if picking up a new hobby isn’t for you, there are other good ways to refresh your brain after a long day of online school. Both Murray and Osumi have found that exercise is an excellent method to help your brain. When asked how she recharges her brain after a long day of online schooling, Murray states that, “A lot of the time, I go to work out.” Exercising can help relieve stress, make you feel better and give you energy. It is a good way to get your mind off of the overwhelming amount of work you have to do.

Another good way to refresh your brain is to try talking to people about your day. Talking with siblings, parents or friends can really help if you are feeling down or stressed. They can help solve your problems; even if you don’t have any, talking with someone can just boost your mood. When asked about how she deals with a long, exhausting day of online classes, Osumi responded with, “The first thing I do after I finish my classes is I go and talk to my parents.” This can be a beneficial way to handle stress and exhaustion because if you are having a hard day your friends and family can help you deal with it. Even though the pandemic makes it harder to communicate with friends, a simple Facetime or Zoom can be really beneficial to your mental health.

We don’t know how long quarantine will be or how long we will be attending online school, so it’s important to stay motivated and not get burnt out. Having a hobby or someone to talk to can really help. It’s important to spend time with people you love or have a hobby you enjoy because if you do, it can help relieve stress and re-energize you.