COVID-19 changes are here to stay (and that’s a good thing)

By Ria Patel

Most of us are getting through this half-on, half-off St. Mary’s pandemic schedule with the idealistic hope that, one day, all will return to normal. However, some parts of COVID-19 school life are going to become the new normal. And we’re going to grow to enjoy these changes. 

Of course, I, like all of you, want to be able to see my friends, eat in the new dining hall and have Derby Day and Springfest again. And while all of those activities will return to normal when the pandemic slows down and a vaccine is engineered, the skills we have accumulated during these unprecedented — it’s overused because it’s true —  times will not.

Obviously, technology is vital to hybrid learning. Teachers were forced to turn to Google Meets and other educational websites to effectively teach material, but this is not something that they will give up after the pandemic.

“Jamboard is something I will likely continue to use . . . Gizmos are also something I hope to continue using, especially the STEM lab simulations for AP,” said Dr. Sorin. “I also think the whole idea of having more flipped classrooms where in class time is dynamic and interactive is something that will continue as well.”

Using these online resources will aid both in teaching and also in our learning as students. 

Hita Mohan (11) said, “Jamboard really just showed me that there are different ways to go about learning! It allows me to be independent but gives me a place to learn that I never really would have been introduced to before this year!” 

On the other hand, while we have become more familiar and efficient with online resources and communication, we also have begun to value in-person learning so much more. We are more grateful for the class time we get with our teachers and classmates. Teachers remade their curriculums to fit virtual learning environments, and extracurricular activities continued with precautions and facilities were altered to be socially distanced.

While it can feel like we are losing so much in the midst of the COVID-19 chaos, we are subconsciously gaining ideas and skills as well. St. Mary’s will never go back to its pre-pandemic “normal,” but maybe that is a good thing. We will be the students to create a new, better “normal” ourselves.