Stuyvesant Students React to Online Learning

After the first week of online learning, the News Department interviewed a variety of Stuyvesant students to discuss their opinions and reactions to the transition.

“As a second term senior, online learning is as easy of an adjustment [as] I assumed it was going to be. However, I can’t help but feel that my last few celebratory months of high school were robbed from me. Our class will probably never have our prom, graduation, college apparel day, and the other traditions that we were looking forward to. So, online learning? Yes, it’s easy. Yes, I love waking up late every day. But I would have never traded it for the high school experiences that I’m missing out on.” —Claire Han, senior

“I definitely feel less prepared for AP exams especially considering the changes coming to them. [The] College Board posted that the AP exams are now going to be 45 minutes, and I’ve already purchased books for the AP exams, and they’re of no use to me now. It's just a scary time for students. We don’t know what to expect, and it’s kinda worrying. For subjects like physics, I just feel that I can’t learn if I’m not in a classroom.” —Yousef Amin, junior

“Online learning so far has been terrible. I don’t learn at all. I just copy random things down and don’t know how to study effectively. Also, some teachers don’t even have Zoom classes, and for those who do, their classes mix with other classes at the same time schedule. It’s very disorganized and hectic.” —Brian Kim, sophomore

“Remote learning has proven to be as, if not more, effective than in-school instruction. This is the first time I’ve been able to get more than six hours of sleep nightly for the entirety of my Stuyvesant experience, and not constantly feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and sleep-deprived has been not only a huge boost in terms of my productivity and retention of the material being taught, but in terms of my mental health as well. The real worst part about this whole experience, other than the volatility and uncertainty of the virus itself, is not being able to interact with friends face-to-face, which is one of the redeeming parts of going to a physical location.” —Ethan Shenker, junior

“Overall, Stuy hasn’t done that bad of a job, but it […] depends a lot on teachers. Some of my teachers are more technologically inclined than others, so some classes are better than others. My first Zoom class last week didn’t go that smoothly because my teacher wasn’t really sure of what she was doing in regards to operating Zoom and communicating with everyone, but I guess there’s just a learning curve for everyone, and the teachers will get adjusted to the platforms that they are using.” —Jessica Lazis, senior

“The most challenging adjustment that I have had to make was my own mental division between work and leisure. Physically, doing work for hours and then eating, sleeping, or resting with my family in the same vicinity allows for no clear break between two types of activities requiring two very different mindsets. With regards to lesson plans, there are clearly still some technical struggles with transitions in the timing of and the media through which classes and assignments are executed. Casual interactions and important bonding with friends have become less direct or frequent, and the closest we can get to talking with our peers like before is through blurred, often lagged screens of them from far away.” —Yume Igarashi, junior

“Online learning has been rather pleasant. The only classes that are truly hampered by online learning for me are AP United States History because it is harder to make connections and English because it is hard to have class discussions. People are forced to learn scheduling skills and time management skills because we have to set our own schedules. We are forced to adapt and that helps us for college and beyond.” —Leo Xiao, junior

“I’m a little happier because I have more freedom and time to myself. I’m someone who can create my own structure, so I think that it’s been working pretty well. I think [learning at home] is pretty much the same because the teachers are talking, and it still feels like I’m in class. The only thing that is a little bit different for me is that I don’t have my peers with me and there [are] less group activities. I spend the whole day [doing homework].” —Lauren Lee, freshman

“I feel like the current style of teaching will not prepare me well for any standardized teaching. For learning, sometimes I find myself stuck and having no other options but to go online and search for YouTube videos. It’s really nice that teachers are keeping in mind that things are changing for students, too. All my teachers have checked in and asked how we’re doing, and I think that’s really nice.” —Zhen Jie Huang, junior

“The transition to online learning has been both better and worse. I noticed that I’m more productive in working on assignments, but in subjects like physics, if I don’t understand the material, it becomes so much harder to get help. In general, the time I spend on understanding the material is longer. The structure is comprehensible, but to me, it’s harder and more difficult to understand the lesson.” —Maya Martinez, junior

“Online learning is not that great. Teachers end up giving so much more homework since they think that we have nothing better to do. Also, by waking up later, I already have so much to do from the very beginning, and it feels like I am always behind. Furthermore, not being able to physically see my friends is a very very big issue for me as they were my moral support throughout all of high school. Also, the fact that I can't really leave my house anymore is really taking a toll on me emotionally as being with my parents all the time can be very stressful. In addition, I feel like I am more unprepared than ever to take the AP due to online classes.” —Emily Chervinsky, junior

“I think the online learning system is very disorganized, with teachers using several platforms that we have to manage constantly. So far, online learning is very hectic for me, as working and studying in a home environment is uncomfortable and distracting. My schedule is to wake up at 8:00 or earlier depending on my schedule, attend classes online, and do HW or other stuff during the downtime. After ‘school,’ I just chat with friends and play games online.” —Steven Lee, junior

“Online learning is going alright for me. [T]hough it isn’t a perfect system, I enjoy having more control over my time. And, if I ever have a question, most people respond pretty quickly! I also have more free time than usual, and I’m able to pursue more creative projects, like photography.” —Athena Lam, junior

“It's great! Honestly, it's so much better than regular school because my schedule is mainly based on what I feel like doing. Also, I don't have to spend two hours commuting which gives me more time to do things I actually enjoy. It's not similar at all because I get to have a better sleep schedule; I get to eat whenever I want, and if I'm feeling bored or tired, I get to give myself a break. I think overall there's more independence in online school.” —Selena Ho, freshman

“I think remote learning has forced me to motivate myself on a level that I wasn't used to before. When it comes to homework, the idea of ‘this is due in school tomorrow’ previously forced me to finish my work on time. The truth is that I miss the conversations I have with friends as we travel between classes. I miss raising my hand in a classroom. I think being in a live school environment brings the advantage of having immediate face-to-face contact with teachers and friends, which leads to a more dynamic and cohesive experience than online learning does.”

—Claire De La Roche, junior

“I know we are learning the same curriculum, at the same time and at the same pace, but I just don’t feel like we are truly together.” —Ava Fung, freshman

“So far, it’s not too bad. Of course, I miss seeing my friends every day, but there’s nothing I can do about it. The one big benefit of remote learning is that I can wake up at around 10 on most days and complete the work at times that work for me. I feel like I work better when I’m not sleep-deprived. My main unpopular opinion is that I’m actually kind of glad that we are getting a lot of work. It gives me something to do, and I’d rather be stressed about school than COVID-19.” —John Grossman, junior

“Online learning is very chill. I spend basically half my time doing homework early or goofing off because I don’t have a Zoom meeting, but that can change based on whether I have a project due or not.” —Joshua Yagupsky, sophomore

“I can do work when I want to do work. When I got tired, I couldn’t nap in class. But now, I can do the work later.” —Kelly Huang, junior

“Honestly, I have found online learning largely unproductive. Though I have been very on top of my work and [made] sure to complete all assignments my teachers provide, I still do not think I am learning nearly as much as I would've had we have been in school. Though I far prefer physical learning to online learning, I believe that I am still learning and that I will be able to complete most of the material in the curriculums for my classes.” —Liam Kronman, junior

“Online learning is certainly a new way of learning for most people, myself included. It removed some challenges I faced when attending school such as struggling to not fall asleep in class or suffering through early morning commutes. I found that learning at my own pace has helped me a lot in terms of understanding the materials. My schedule is pretty similar to that of a regular school day, the only difference being that I feel much more restful and have quite a bit more free time.” —Andrew Jiang, junior

“I have mixed feelings about online learning. One thing I like about having online classes is that I can wake up at 10 a.m. without having a panic attack because I missed the bus to school. Still, I kind of miss being in a physical environment, where I’m being forced to do work, because I end up actually doing that work. Overall, the transition wasn't that difficult because I already have experience in submitting work for my classes online.” —Frances Sy, junior

“I've used online resources to learn before, such as YouTube videos, so when my teachers post videos of them giving lectures, it's not too unusual for me. I actually feel more refreshed because I get more sleep, and my remote learning stuff is more concise than class lectures. For English classes though, in-person teaching is more effective, but given the situation with COVID-19, remote learning really isn't that bad.” —Jesse Chen, senior

“Remote learning is definitely unfamiliar. Rather than hard, I feel like it's because there are no designated school hours [in which] students feel more overwhelmed with work. We end up treating what teachers call ‘classwork,’ ‘homework.’ I am terribly upset about the possibility of senior activities being cancelled because this is the last year that I can and will possibly spend time with many friends. I need to interact with friends on a daily basis, not just behind the screens.” —William Zeng, senior

“Online learning functions well. A couple of my teachers give online lessons, but all of them post assignments and classwork to do. My schedule is the same as it was before, except I spend more time on things since I’m home and get distracted easily. I think it’s effective and works well, but I prefer coming to class in person and learning it.” —Nada Hameed, freshman

“My only issue with online school is my time management, which needs a lot of work. I do like the fact that I’m getting more sleep than usual and that I get to be independent. It feels like I’m doing more for myself rather than being forced to do it.” —Sharon Liu, freshman

“Personally, online learning is a bit tougher than being in a classroom setting. For certain subjects, I’m having a little trouble grasping concepts because I’m a more visual or hands-on learner. It doesn’t help that some teachers have just resorted to asking students to learn from the textbook. [Online learning] is better than regular school in the way that I have more control over when I can take a quick break, but the way in how I’m learning is worse.” —Winnie Huang, junior

“Online learning for me is manageable as long as I am focused and follow the schedule I have created for myself. Sometimes it's a lot to keep track of because each teacher has several assignments they are trying to explain and balance without being there in person to explain and take any questions. Other than that, all of my teachers are very accessible, and most work is very clear in the end.” —Mim Parvin, junior

“Online learning is a little difficult to keep up with, but this is understandable as it is new to everyone involved. It’s not the same as being present in class and having the motivation and attention that comes along with just being with the rest of your peers and teachers. This is a problem that I’ve come to see in a lot of my friends and myself. However, I think we’re in a really good place given the circumstances.” —Jillian Lin, junior

“I’m not getting as much instructional time as I would in class, and I’m probably not learning as much either, but I don’t expect much. It’s definitely objectively less work, but it feels like the same amount because I’m not investing as much time into it. There’s nothing that’s constantly reminding me that I’m supposed to be doing schoolwork.” —Aaron Contreras, sophomore

“I am much less focused on my learning because there are so many other distractions than there would be in a classroom. Though teachers post worksheets and ways to help us follow the lesson, it is still harder to learn without having a teacher to ask specific questions to. It can take longer to understand something because I am searching online for a video to help me understand the new concepts.” —Tori Lieberman, junior

“Online learning felt like a fresh new experience at first, but then we started getting even more work than usual. I feel like online learning is not as productive as regular learning particularly because I usually watch some videos online to study confusing points. The regular lessons provide a structure for me to study and engage me in the material.” —Chelsea Yan, junior

“More assignments have been given out than usual. I believe my teachers are doing this because they want to reinforce ideas in our heads now that we are not actively engaging in lessons; however, it puts more stress on students, as they have to rush to get these assignments done by their due dates […] my daily schedule has definitely changed. I now complete my classes out of order since my teachers post material at different times during the day.” —Zoe Ng, freshman

“I have so much more work, mostly because of AP Bio Albert and College Board questions. It’s not the same. It’s great because I can eat while doing work. I feel like I don’t have to wake up as early, and I can do stuff when I want to do it. I can manage my own time and how much time I want to spend on a subject.” —Kathleen Zhang, freshman

“Online lessons are hard because you need to stay focused, and when you’re in the comfort of your own home, it’s easy to get distracted. I also feel like the lessons being optional makes me less motivated because they don’t really count [toward] a grade or anything. The one good thing about online learning is that you can do other things whenever you want, but when you have a lot of work to do plus the constant distractions, it would be just as tiring as a regular school day.” —Alicia Jas Yu, sophomore

“I have no online classes to attend because none of my teachers use Zoom or any video chatting interfaces. I wake up, do the work that’s assigned on Coogle classroom, and scan it or send it to the teacher. I haven’t really felt a significant change in workload from this transition. The workload feels the same as regular school. However, I’ve been sleeping earlier.” —Kai Caothien, freshman

“I think [online learning is] a good way to teach classes, and it’s also easy to communicate with your teacher through a video call or [...] messaging them through a [e-mail], […] Google Classroom, or Jupiter.” —Daniel Leong, sophomore

“For me personally, my schedule is really relaxed. Only one of my teachers teaches every day, but on a day [when] I would have all my online classes, my first meeting is at 11:50, and at most, I have three online classes in a day.” —Tyler Chen, junior

“I feel like my workload is a little bit heavier than usual, if not the same. It feels a lot more packed, but really I am spending just about the same amount of time as usual. The work is harder though, now without a teacher telling me verbally what is going on, so I do spend more time processing the tasks.” —Junhao Zhen, sophomore

“So far with online learning, it has been pretty difficult because of the lack of focus or not having drive. I feel that there hasn’t been any motivation for me because partially I’m inside all day. Majority of my teachers are doing online classes, and they’re usually from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with an hour break at 12.” —Roberto Tobias, junior

“For me, remote/online learning has been pretty efficient, and most of my teachers have been understanding of the situation that we're in, giving us reasonable workloads and deadlines. I would also say that most of my teachers have been extremely helpful during this process, offering optional Zoom calls if we don't understand a certain topic or need to ask questions and creating long and thorough videos of topics we would be missing in school. I get a lot more sleep, and there's more time for me to process what I am being taught.” —Darren Jin, senior

“It's a sudden change, and I work a lot less efficiently at home, but now I have almost full control over my schedule and a lot more free time.” —Maxwell Zen, sophomore