Online classes and working from home is affecting Elkhorn beyond what we imagined just 8 weeks ago.
May 13, 2020
As we all know, Covid-19 has affected our lifestyles drastically. The typical teenage high schooler’s routine consists of getting up early, eating breakfast, attending classes, then socializing with friends and/or attending sports practices or clubs. As for Elkhorn High School students, our “last” physical day in school was March 12th and since then,nothing has been the same. Lots of things have changed from our usual ways, for both students and their families.
Students at EHS used to get up early and attend school for roughly 7 hours a day for 5 days a week. To say the least, the majority of us “hated” being at school, and when I mean hated, students just don’t want to do school work and sit in a dull classroom for hours on end. Being in a physical classroom had been stripped from the students, and that experience was replaced with attending online ZOOM meetings. At first we could all say that we enjoyed the “break” from school and not having to get up early. But as the social distancing and quarantine continued, students began to resent the thought of not going back to school this year. Now the dull classroom are our bedrooms, living rooms or kitchens. Productivity has decreased as we have lost all motivation for classes. Our high school experience for the year was cut short and it feels as if the last quarter and a half of the year is just pointless and useless. The students have lost all spring sports events, social interaction, prom, graduation… the list goes on and on.
Social interaction is very important for a teenager. Being able to communicate and socialize with friends brings many benefits to teens, such as a sense of belonging and a proper coming-of-age; social distancing has deprived Elkhorn students of just that. The closing of malls, theatres and restaurants really has taken a toll on a typical social hangout for kids.
The virus does not only affect students but their parents and relatives as well. Over 10 million Americans have filed for unemployment during these times. If the working class hasn’t been laid off or furloughed, then they are working from home. Going from driving roughly 20 minutes, the average work commute in Nebraska, and working from 9-5, to sitting at the home computer trying to make it feel like one’s usual work setting isn’t as easy as it seems. There are few positives to working from home, but only if one’s job or career field is easy to convert to a desktop computer. Of those positives, the practice OFFERS benefits to employees and businesses like giving employees flexibility, avoiding long commutes- which has a significant impact on job satisfaction- and the decrease of office distractions, but it still has a dramatic effect on company culture and business style. Not all jobs are able to switch to online like retail and physical labor which make up the majority of the US’s citizens.
Working from home and taking online classes has really affected the public. Our lifestyles are typically the same, even as we grow old. As the coronavirus spreads and consumes our lives, quarantine and social distancing will continue to be significant to everyone. Under these conditions, it is normal and okay to be upset about not seeing friends and going out but it is for our safety. The life we had prior to the virus isn’t going to be the same afterwards, but social distancing is for the benefit of Elkhorn’s well being.
Your donation will support the student journalists of Elkhorn High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.
