Spring Semester Experience from In-Person to Online
Moving to online during the spring semester was quite the experience because it all happened so fast. It took a moment to realize that I while I was still going to be in school I wasn’t going to be able to move as freely as I once did and it also meant no longer seeing my classmates in person. It doesn’t seem like that at first. At first for a quick moment it seems as if it’ll only be for a week or two at least that’s what the mind tells itself and then over time it becomes real that, no this is how classes will be for the remainder of the semester. For a few of my classes that involved physical interaction it definitely felt like a challenge like in my photography class. It became a challenge because for those without digital cameras we could no longer turn to the cage for guidance and practice and had to figure out new ways to tell story through photographs with whatever tools we had. It was also difficult for me to get used to at first because honestly, I liked the classroom we had in Newhouse. It was big and had a beautiful view of the campus. I miss that room.
I even actually missed Newhouse the three buildings at times because it was the unique size of being both big and at times feeling small all at once. I miss being able to run into people, walking from one end on the way to another part of it. The freedom was in the movement and to not have that at first was something to get used too. However, like anything else you find ways to adapt and a new rhythm is formed. But even on the road to that new rhythm is still tough because now it’s all about Zoom links and making sure that there are passwords and meeting numbers to join rooms. It is a lot to take in if prior to that you just had to know the fastest route to take to get to your classroom at your scheduled designated class time.
In the end though, I feel that I and many others made the best of it. I think the one benefit to being online is that the commute is amazing. The likelihood of being late while still possible is extremely rare and if staying in bed makes it easier to learn it is now officially an option and judging someone for that is no longer fair. There is a chance to see what others that have been doing online academic programs from the beginning have been experiencing. I know it is not entirely the same, but I do appreciate the chance to see what their definition of school is. I can only imagine how much some online students have had to teach the rest of us about adjusting to online learning.
Spring 2020 has been like no other for a semester and I’m sure it’s siblings Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 have a lot to offer the next round of students. Yet, spring will remain unique on its own for being the semester that broke the mold not only for me but for every student out there.
