After being forced to stay at home for months, many students were looking forward to going back to school to have a “normal” year. Little did students expect to see school this year would be different. Here at South Oldham, students have experienced having school both virtually and in person. Students were asked if they preferred NTI or in person school and what they liked and disliked about each one.

Evelyn Pazienza (11) stated that she liked, “having the option to sleep in a little bit,” during NTI but didn’t like not being able to see her friends and teachers. Her favorite part of in person school is learning in classrooms with friends, but she found it difficult having to wake up early every day and wearing a mask all day. 

Morgan Barnett (9) liked having more time to finish her work, but didn’t like not having face to face instructions which made it harder for her to pick on what the class was learning during NTI. Barnett liked being able to ask questions in class and get a quick answer back, but states, “some things are overwhelming but it’s better than NTI.” 

Jack Graves (11) liked being able to complete his work quickly and having a lot of free time during NTI. He found it difficult to stay focused and learn math through the computer. Graves states he liked “being able to see friends semi-regularly,” but found having to stay in the same seat for a long period of time to be difficult. He is also disappointed in not being able to do any labs in physics.  

Shawn Josephs (11)  liked being able to sleep in a little more than usual, but found it difficult to learn from online. He found learning in person easier, but points out that, “wearing a mask can be distracting occasionally.” 

Sam Larson’s (11) favorite part on NTI was waking up whenever he wanted to, but didn’t like all the busy work. He liked being back in person because he got to see people and get real work done. His least favorite part of in person school was having to wake up at 5:30 AM. 

This school year has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs. With school going back to in person, it is important to make sure hands are washed and masks are kept on. Although it can be difficult to wear a mask for 7 hours straight, it helps you and your peers stay safe from spreading the disease.