Distance learning is something almost every American student has encountered over this past year. For some of us, this is our first time ever learning online. I have been less stressed and happier than I ever have.

From students talking when it is not their turn to destroying different classroom materials and disrespecting the teachers, there are so many negative instances that would occur in classrooms I would try to learn in every single day. 

I have been doing distance learning since March 23rd of 2020–it has been almost a year now. I am now learning more than I ever have, with a lot less stress. I am able to work at my own pace, and I do not have to deal with any other students who may be disrupting my learning in the classroom. I no longer have to deal with the anxiety of being called on in front of the class, or having to sit at an uncomfortable desk for eight hours a day, which did not benefit me one bit. 

Distance learning has given me more control of my time and how I study. I am given less busy work by teachers–busy work did not teach me anything. It only ever just took up my time. Fortunately, I am still able to collaborate with other students via Google Meets. I can also FaceTime friends if I have a question, which I was not able to do at school. My peers and I challenge each other whenever we can on assignments. 

One of my favorite aspects of distance learning is how I am able to rewatch the live lessons. During in-person school, if I missed a day of school or a certain topic, I was completely stuck trying to figure out the lessons on my own. Now, I can re-watch any lesson anytime I want. Some of us are not able to hear a lesson once and completely understand, like some other students can. 

According to Guide2Search, 52% of college students said they prefer distance learning. During synchronous learning at home, I am able to spend as long as I need to grasping different concepts, while during regular school, we would often have only a certain amount of time to study and summarize different topics. During asynchronous time, I am able to continue to go at my own pace by rewatching lectures or writing my own style of notes.

The fact that I am learning so much more during online school really shows how our school system is lacking. I feel so much attention is pointed towards the disruptive students who need more help, while students like me–students who are very quiet and do not ask too many questions–are completely ignored. I am hoping this time of distance learning can show our school district what they need to work on to be more inclusive for all students.