Dealing With a Non-Ideal Virtual Class Space

Due to the out-of-the-ordinary virtual start to the school year, students have had to come up with their own way of making a workplace for themselves. Many students have struggled with the change, while others are on cloud nine about it.

One student, Damon Everard, has had to adapt to online learning on top of sharing a space with six other siblings for his senior year. “While online school is very different from regular in-class school, it was easy to slip into the routine of waking up and sitting down at my desk and computer for six hours,” he said. Everard says that his favorite thing about online school is “having a lot of room” for his work. On the other hand, he is not too happy about having to now use coasters for his favorite drinks during school.

Junior Evie Benson is now the only child at home, and came to terms very quickly with her new working environment since she gets to make her workplace all about her. “My workplace is our extra room, so I have a room for myself,” said Benson. “It’s nice to not have distractions and have a dedicated work environment so I can stay on task,” she added, noting that one of the downsides of her new and improved workplace is having to deal with cat’s litter box. Although she misses her friends, she said she feels she can make it through the year with virtual school.

An unpopular opinion among some Fluvanna students is they do not like the idea of lunches under the current schedule. Most teachers allow students to eat a little something on their virtual class and school ends anyway at 1:55 P.M. Lunch break for the students starts at 12:10 and ends at 12:40 before the students’ last class at 12:45. Some students like to get through all of their work and then eat after everything is done. Others like to have a little break before they sit back down and finish the rest of their work for today.

Junior Allyson Lounsbury has two younger brothers living with her and a basement all to herself where she has set up her workplace. Her workplace is a vanity that she is using as a desk. “I also move to different places throughout the house because it’s easier to stay motivated with changes in scenery,” said Lounsbury. “I do feel like I have more time to do things now that everything’s online. I also get to sleep longer,” she said.

Overall, some students have struggled with the new challenge of online school while many others have embraced the change. Some have made themselves a dedicated workplace for online school while others are just using their beds. Either way, the choice is theirs.