Hybrid School

Hi Radnor! I’m Parnia Nasrullah and, so far this school year, I have been participating in the hybrid in-person schedule. Despite the pandemic, I still chose to go hybrid because I was tired of sitting at home and having no routine. At first, I considered going fully virtual. However, during virtual school in September, the experience made me decide to go hybrid because I abhorred sitting in a chair for 7 hours and I was feeling unmotivated which led me to chose the hybrid plan

When the School Board approved of students going hybrid, it felt like a good opportunity for solidifying a routine. On the days that I am on campus, I wake up around 6:30 am, and catch my bus at 8:03 am. When I reach school, the day quickly passes from one class to another. One of the things that I really enjoy about taking hybrid schooling is walking between classes, which mentally prepares me to get ready for the next one. In my opinion, attending classes in person is a better way of understanding the day’s topic, as there are fewer distractions. Finally, the day ends at 3:10 and I catch the bus at 3:15. I usually reach home at 3:30. While going hybrid may be a good choice for learning, it still has its pros and cons.

Attending class in person may help one’s learning, which is a huge advantage; however, students are divided into three different lunch timings and sometimes your friends may not have the same lunch as you. Additionally, wearing a mask throughout the day is difficult for students. Thankfully, we are given a ten-minute mask break each class when we get to go outside and take off our masks while practicing social distancing. I believe being on campus is comparatively better than being on zoom, since I get a break from the screen and can actually interact with other students as well as teachers.

Online School

Hi! I’m William Meyer and I am currently doing school online through Zoom. My family and I made this decision based on the rising coronavirus cases, and although I understood this decision, it was still disappointing. Because of my choice to stay fully virtual, I have to stare at my screen for 7+ hours a day. This can get really tiring and unmotivating, but there is a bright side.

The first advantage of being online is getting to sleep in later. Usually, I would have to get up at 7:00 or 7:30 to catch the bus. But when your way to school is through Zoom and Schoology, you don’t have to waste half an hour on transportation. Being online, I usually get up around 8:00 and go to have breakfast, which is typically something simple like oatmeal or cereal. After that, I prepare myself for class by brushing my teeth, doing my hair, and other basic hygienic routines. I usually have another couple of minutes left to relax before I log on to homeroom. After my first couple of classes, I get to have a warm homemade meal for lunch. This is probably my favorite part of the school day because I get to take a relaxing break after 4 strenuous hours of staring at my screen. I then return to my laptop and finish the rest of my classes. On 8-period days or on even block days, I have a study hall during 8th period, which is especially great if you’re a freshman because hybrid learners have to sit in a classroom and work, but when you’re online, you’re free to go. It’s especially beneficial for me because, on some days, I end school at 1:41. 

Another plus about being online is mask breaks and passing periods. In school, you get a break from academics with these, but when you’re online, you can get snacks while you take a couple of minutes off from your screen. Regardless of all these benefits of being online, it’s pretty clear that staring at a screen for hours on end and barely moving is not only physically deprecating, but it’s mentally exhausting. Plus, it’s really easy to become distracted by pulling up a YouTube video or listening to your favorite song in the background. But of course, online students have much lower chances of contracting Covid-19.