Online school creates a well-rounded day for students that is beneficial to them. With the ability to do work synchronously and asynchronously, students are provided with much needed time to relax, as well as an adequate amount of time to get work done during school hours. 

Most problems that students face with online school can be fixed by students themselves. For example, while some students may complain about the lack of interaction in breakout rooms and class Zooms, they should instead be trying to start a conversation as best as they can. Online school shows who is willing to step up and lead by example. 

Online school also eliminates the time students spend traveling to and from school during the day. This may seem like an insignificant advantage to e-learning, but this extra time can be spent catching up on much needed sleep or finishing up assignments from the previous day. 

While some may say that it is harder to learn without the in-person interaction between teachers and students, teachers are more available than ever with online school. Not only do students have class time to ask questions and gain understanding, but they also have teachers’ online office hours, as well as the ability to leave a private comment or email a teacher for a quick question. 

The flexibility that comes with online school allows students to maximize their productivity. If a student can’t concentrate during their asynchronous class time, they can take a break. Ninety minutes is a long time to go without a break, but most teachers release students from class early, giving students ample time to complete assignments, talk to friends (even if it’s just over facetime) and do other things they enjoy.

I’ll be the first to admit that not getting to see friends as frequently during the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard. While the hybrid version of  school may partially help with this, simply having some in-person extracurriculars (safely of course) provides this needed social interaction. 

Technology is not always 100 percent reliable; however, schools are being understanding  to meet the needs of students when technology fails. Technology is also constantly improving, making resources that students need to further their learning more accessible. 

For the most part, many people I talk to that don’t feel  online school is up to par, often don’t even pay attention in class when it’s in person. Being in high school, you shouldn’t need a teacher constantly checking in with you to make sure you are understanding the content. It is up to you to take charge of your learning, and get help when you need it. 

The flexibility, resources, and responsibility that online school provides allows us  to not only be successful in school, but also sets us up for success in our future.