As we all know COVID-19 has changed almost everyone’s lives in some way, but what about students specifically? 

Online school had a lot of effects on students because it was such a big change for them. Online school also gave students more responsibilities and personal burdens. Students could easily not join their Zoom class or do the homework since they are constantly at home and can choose to have no contact with the teachers at all. 

Sophomore Sabery Tangeman shares her thoughts on this topic: “Online school definitely made time management a lot harder.”

Students’ education was damaged during the pandemic. For most students, online school was not an effective way of learning. A lot of students needed in-person lessons to really understand the topic at hand. 

According to the article Covid-19’s Impact on K-12 Students, “On average, students will experience substantial drops in reading and math, losing roughly three months’ worth of gains in reading and five months’ worth of gains in math.” This is a huge problem because some schools had their students out of school all year, resulting in a loss of an entire year of learning. 

Students went from constant social engagement during school hours to being at home alone. This can result in negative effects on students’ social and emotional growth.

“I went from being able to go out with family and friends to being stuck at home, usually by myself because my parents are at work,” Sabery comments. 

Students need social interaction, especially younger students who may have not learned social skills that well yet.  According to an article from The New York Times, “Social interactions are an important part of development throughout childhood, and spending time with peers is typically part of that process.” For parents, it is difficult to give their children enough social interaction when they are at work throughout the day.

With the new school year and most students being able to go back in person, these situations should improve. As a community, we should all work to make sure all of these students have a stable and supported year back after the pandemic.