It’s been a while since our last post. And ironically enough, that’s because online school is proving to be as hard as we all predicted. However, I would say that these past two months have taught me a lot about the way we learn and absorb information and turns out that the things I thought I would find hard are actually the pleasantest aspects of my online learning experience and the things that I thought would be breezy are actually surprisingly taxing. So I thought I would share these discoveries—as a sort of mid-term check-in—in case people are struggling in similar ways and would like some insight or simply some company in their misery:
1. Zoom is Not That Bad
First, I am going to put it out here that Zoom fatigue is very real and different people learn differently. So learning over Zoom is not for everyone and if you are struggling with Zoom your concerns are completely valid. I can only attest to my personal experiences, hoping it might provide an optimistic outlook on the platform. As I was venturing into the term, I was fully prepared to hate everything about Zoom—the awkwardness, the blank looks, the poor connections, and the forever echoing “Can you hear me?” that makes it seem like we are trapped in alien dimensions. But my Zoom classes surprised me. I realize that as things are right now, I would rather be physically distanced from people to ensure everyone’s safety rather than push for having the in-person class experience, which, let’s face it, could prove detrimental considering the recent outbreaks and the onset of caution fatigue. To that end, I am beginning to view Zoom as something that allows me to connect with my professors and classmates in a time when our safety is dependent on our physical distance. And for the most part, I would attribute this experience to my professors’ thoughtfulness and efforts in re-creating the classroom experience via Zoom. Of course, it’s not the same as in-person classes but it’s close enough considering the situation we find ourselves in. Personally, being able to see and interact with my peers and professors while feeling physically safe has been wonderful. So I have stopped viewing Zoom as the greatest infliction on mankind and now view it as a steady catalyst for my online education!
2. Zoom Discussions Are Also Not That Bad
If you have the option to participate in your classes, DO IT! One of the biggest concerns people cite with Zoom is that it is devoid of feeling and connection. So be the one to bring feeling and forge connections! Just switching on Zoom and passively placing ourselves in front of the screen is not enough to retain and engage with the class material. I think the best way to make a Zoom class work for you is to be a part of the class rather than a mere receiver. I’ve found that every class in which I’ve managed to raise my ‘blue hand’ via Zoom and actually contribute to the ongoing discussion or raise questions is a class where I feel I’m actually learning something because I’m able to apply class concepts through discussions. I understand that not everyone feels comfortable talking in class, but a little contribution might just be what you need to ground you to your virtual classroom and help you better engage with course concepts. In English and Writing Studies, we have the advantage of smaller class sizes which I believe provides more scope for personalizing your online learning experience and engaging with your peers and professor. So if you are able, try raising that hand and speaking your mind!
3. The ‘A’ in Asynchronous Stands for ‘Astonishingly Arduous’
Just like Zoom surprised me, so have asynchronous classes. While I have had asynchronous online classes before, now they suddenly seem harder. Maybe it’s because the pandemic has messed up our sense of object permanence or perhaps it’s because the concept of time is not a restriction anymore, rather just a mere suggestion. Either way, the first few weeks of asynchronous classes were me trying to figure out which forum is locked when and fearing that I might miss an assignment submission if I didn’t log in every day. Also, it turns out that forum posts are actually quite a bit of work if you are doing them right, which, to be fair, should be expected in asynchronous classes since they are devoid of in-person reading discussions. So yes, asynchronous classes have proved that you can’t just ‘wing it’ and thus require serious effort on our parts. What really helped me was getting my planner with the big calendar pages and writing down all my due dates in one go so that I can physically see what’s headed my way and to set days every week (according to my assignment due dates) on which I will finish my readings and forum posts. This helps with organizing and re-establishing that lost object permanence by keeping the necessary information within sight and thus within mind.
4. Some Things Are Now More Easily Accessible
Not to minimize the gravity of the situation in any way, but a virtual shift has improved accessibility in some ways. For instance, I now feel I have an easier time attending meetings for clubs because the commute is not consuming my schedule. Furthermore, I have been wanting to attend talks at the Toronto International Festival of Authors for the longest time now only to be unable to commute to Toronto because of school. However, this week I can finally attend virtual interviews with some really cool authors and participate in talks and workshops and I am grateful for being able to do that without having to travel to Toronto. For a lot of people, transportation is a big issue and in some ways, virtual events and classes are really helping ease people’s issues with geography. And I think that’s worth acknowledging and being grateful for!
5. We Are All *Not* in the Same Boat
To counter the point above, accessibility has also deteriorated in some ways. Okay yes, technically the pandemic has hit us all and we are all struggling as online students in one way or another. However, not everyone’s affected the same way. To say that it’s hard for everyone equally might be glossing over the fact that it’s particularly harder for some people than others. It’s important to recognize that people’s mental health, physical health, access to the internet and online resources, jobs, families, living situations and a lot of other things play a huge role in how the pandemic affects them. Hence, everyone’s online learning experience, unfortunately, cannot be the same. To that end, we should recognize our own privilege and be mindful of other people’s struggles for they are probably not in the same boat as us. Only when we acknowledge the inherent disparities in how the pandemic affects us all can we begin to find a way around it and to extend meaningful support to our family and friends who might be struggling more than us.
So here I am discovering my self (and observing others) as an online learner and trying to be grateful for the good stuff and mindful of the not so good stuff. I hope wherever you might be in your online learning journey, you are doing your best and are able to meaningfully connect during these isolating times. I also hope that, if you are struggling, you are seeking help because physical distance should not mean emotional or mental distance. Your family, friends, and professors care about you and want to see you do well so please reach out, now that we need to more than ever. To that end, as a total stranger but also as a person who is rooting for you, I am going to reiterate my favourite term of encouragement in case you didn’t get the memo: You Got This!