Excerpt from the Wright State Guardian
Wright State University students have been learning remotely for the past two semesters. Students have noticed a negative impact on their relationships within the classroom and have mixed thoughts on what the new normal will look like.
Online learning
Fourth-year mechanical engineering student with a minor in business Jon Peterson currently lives off-campus with his family.
Peterson attends one on-campus class per week, but still feels limited in their social interactions. They also have to focus on their job along with school work.
“The main cause of my stress would be online schooling. It seems that professors believe that online schooling is best done by giving out more assignments and quizzes. I do not learn online as well as I would as if I was in a classroom which makes these frequent quizzes more challenging. For me, this increase is terrible because I still am working a job and it is hard to balance work, college and a social life with these increased assignments,” said Peterson.
Senior psychology major Cody Daniel takes all online classes along with living in the Dayton area with three roommates.
“We’re not at odds with each other or anything, we respect each other’s space even though we’re cooped up,” said Daniel.
Both WSU students believe that in-person learning is easier for them than essentially teaching themselves online. According to Daniel, if the coronavirus pandemic was not here, they would be going out more and meeting new people.
Social interactions
According to Peterson, the coronavirus pandemic has limited their social interactions, such as going to bars and restaurants.
“There’s just no way to talk or connect with peers. Online is really inorganic and there’s no incentive or motivation to do stuff. The entire social aspect of college life has been stripped away, which is unfortunate, but necessary,” said Daniel.
Daniel has stopped going to different organizations and clubs because of a lack of involvement but has hope for the future.
“I think this sort of isolation will foster a new appreciation for social interaction. Once everything comes back, I think there will be an uptake in clubs and organizations because of this,” said Daniel.
