Online school has left many students feeling like they haven’t learned a lot or like they’re struggling socially, and students, teachers, and parents alike all wonder if online learning is properly preparing them for next school year. 

Students worry that their time management skills won’t be as strong when they get back to in-person classes, as they’ve gone months without having the same amount of school hours. They haven’t had extra curricular activities, and they have had a lot of time outside of class to work on assignments.  

“The change [back to in-person learning] will be difficult because we have a lot of time to be independent and do homework when school ends at 12…there will be much less time to do everything,” said Ajay Reyes (‘24). 

Time management is a skill people usually learn in their first few months of the school year, but when school is entirely online they’re more likely to lose those skills as opposed to gaining them. Not only that, but students coming from outside of PUSD do not know what skills they should be working on. 

“I am not certain that I have picked up all of the necessary skills during online learning to succeed in classes during a normal school year,” said Zaynah Shah (‘24). 

Students are unsure of what to expect from in-person school, and they are concerned about their abilities to meet expectations. Many teachers haven’t been properly communicating their expectations, and it feels impossible to gauge just how much work they expect us to be doing. 

“One of the things that I am concerned about for next year is the amount of work that I will receive once we get back into some sense of normal. I have no basis on what is considered a lot or little homework,” said Shah.

Other students are concerned that they may have trouble forming new relationships or even reforming old ones, as they have lost the social skills needed to maintain friendships. Being isolated from people our age has been mentally draining for students, and we no longer feel like we’re able to have a conversation without slipping into an awkward silence. 

“I think I will not be ready for school academically or socially. I have lost so many skills like my attention span, and how to talk to new people. I think it is going to be very hard for everyone,” said Teresa Manger (‘23). 

Students are concerned about next school year, and it’s safe to say that in-person school will take a lot of adjusting.