The return to in person learning has been a big change for everyone. We spent so much time in front of a screen in the comfort of our own homes. Coming back into the atmosphere of school has been a struggle for some and a relief for others. Regardless of if you enjoyed returning to school, the past couple years have been full of changes and challenges for everyone. Peilin Sun is a senior here at Kaiser High School and he’s had mixed feelings about the return to school.
When Sun first found out about the return to school, he was in Texas. Him and his father were planning to take a trip, exploring Europe during the time in online school. Obviously, that couldn’t happen once school started, which was a big disappointment for him. However, the return allowed him to make new friends, meet a lot of new people, and have a more involved learning experience. In his opinion, it’s been easier learning in person versus online. When asked if he had more anxiety in person or online, Sun answered neither. He claims his current classes are relaxed and easy. He enjoys many of his classes with close friends and prefers the environment over that of online classes.
In the beginning of lockdown, Sun didn’t really miss in person classes. He used to prefer the quiet, private environment of his own home. That soon changed, because he began to miss his friends. He found his passion in film. He spent extensive time learning about it during the lockdown. Now, he’s participating in many film projects and classes here at Kaiser. His top goal was to make friends and be as social as possible.
Sun’s grades were average during online classes. “It was harder to learn physics because I couldn’t physically retain information.” However, he would still support online classes because it would give him the opportunity to travel and explore personal interests. He enjoyed classes like English because it gave him the opportunity to read and write, which was easier from home. Returning to school, Sun has enjoyed hands-on learning and more interactive classes. His grades have excelled since he returned to school, as other students have experienced.
To sum up the article, Sun has preferred in person school over online school. It’s had a huge impact on his life and has affected his friendships, relationships and academic experience in good and bad ways. He’s undergone serious changes in his personal and social life. He’s learned a lot about himself from online school and has had a transitional period during the past couple of years. He wouldn’t mind returning to online school, however, he hopes life stays the way it is.
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