Virtual students adjust to in-person semester

Moving into a whole new building at the beginning of a school year is hard and intimidating enough, but this year with the option of online school, a lot has obviously changed. Many people that had previously taken online school for the first semester moved into in person classes for second semester. For seventh graders especially, that’s a whole new scary ball game. Coming in halfway through the school year, the first time in a junior high building, so many different things to get used to is sure to be incredibly daunting. 

“I don’t really know how to feel about online school. You get a lot more work, and you have to turn it in pretty early too. I never really had time to take a break, but I still feel like I managed it all pretty well,” Peet seventh grader Melissa Meza said. 

Peet seventh grader Tammy Nguyen has made a similar transition from her online background. “When I first got here, I got lost a lot, but all the teachers have been really helpful and nice. but gradually I’ve gotten used to my schedule and what I have to do to get through the day. Lastly, most days feel like they pass right by. It wasn’t necessarily hard, but it felt like everyone already knew each other, and I didn’t, but I managed to meet some people I guess. Only socially hard, but academically not really.“

Meza has tried to keep an upbeat outlook on coming back to in person second semester. “Once you attend in person, you just kinda have to know what to do honestly. They give you a schedule, and you have to follow it. Yeah, it was hard the first day because I knew no one except just two close friends, but we didn’t have classes together, so I was on my own. I just roamed the halls trying to find my class, but it gets way easier after a couple days, so don’t worry. Just ask for help and stay with the other online peeps. You will get weird glances every once in a while because no one knows you,  but just keep your head up and remember that you’re not alone.“

According to Meza, even though a lot of the whole process is daunting, there are still many positives to the experience. “That’s mostly why I chose to come back to school, in person. All the schoolwork they would give you, you can’t participate in much, and you just get lonely. I kinda missed seeing people. I really like in person school just because you actually get to participate in stuff. I’m in band and in orchestra, so I had to do it all online, and it wasn’t easy. I didn’t get to do FCS, IT or computer science while online, so that was pretty fun to do once you’re in person. Yeah, I don’t know many people, and it’s kind of hard to make new friends when no one lets you, but I still have fun, and I feel lucky to be able to get out of the house.” Meza said