The Virtual Learning Burnout is Here

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Photo courtesy of mPower, elearning solutions

With only one week left of the semester, students are low on motivation.

Julie Jones, Staff Writer

Many students have started to reach their breaking point with online learning. With only one week until finals, students are having to push through the burnout and hold themselves accountable to achieve good grades.

“Everything about online school has me burnt out. Between the Zoom calls, not seeing anyone, the confusion of new learning methods, the assignments teachers pile upon us. Just everything” said senior Kinley Brown. “Everything is confusing and I think people sometimes forget how much we are struggling as students, and that nothing is easy right now.”

According to junior Matthew Grimm, sitting at a computer all day isn’t as easy as it may seem. Though the task of staying seated may not require any hard labor, trying to maintain focus during class while sitting at home is nearly impossible.

“While I’m in school, I’m around my teachers and I am actually able to engage in learning,” Grimm said. “Sitting in front of the screen for eight hours a day is mentally draining.”

Sitting in front of the screen for eight hours a day is mentally draining

— Matthew Grimm

Since students are having trouble paying attention in class while also trying to fully understand new materials presented during Zoom lessons, grades are starting to be affected. Junior Grace Roland described that the learning platform, Canvas, is still confusing and it’s easy to forget about assignments, furthermore damaging the grades of students.

“I’m still trying to figure out Canvas, and I sometimes lose some assignments and forget to complete them because I can’t finish them during the class time given to us,” Roland said. “Then the assignments close, and you can’t even open them up to try and finish them which is really frustrating.”

Roland has decided to transfer to an in-person private school next semester due to the difficulties online school has brought.

“I want to get my education in-person while also being surrounded by other students that are passionate about the same things I am,” Roland said. “I believe learning in-person will allow me to be more prepared for college.”

Another issue with studying during online learning is students feeling as though they can’t reach out for help academically.

“You can sometimes feel like it’s difficult to reach out to a teacher,” Roland said. “You don’t know if you’re the only one struggling, and you don’t understand it. When we were in class other students would be asking questions out loud and just that was helpful, but with online learning, no one is asking questions over the computer.” 

Brown described how hard and tiring it has been for the class of 2021 starting their last year of high school online. 

“I would say burnt out is an understatement,” Brown said. “This is not the senior year I imagined and as the days go by I struggle more and more. It’s not easy.”