Everyone has had a different experience with online school during this time. I know classmates who flourished during online learning, and who’s grades reflected that, and I also know classmates who had the exact opposite experience, like myself. I’ve gotten good grades throughout my sophomore year, and have maintained a high GPA, yet, in this last quarter my grades have been falling short of what they used to be when I was in school.

According to a new survey by BestColleges, conducted through YouG0v, I’m not alone in my struggles with online school, where “78% of households with high school or college students reported educational disruptions from COVID-19.” On top of that, “over 8 in 10 students experiencing these disruptions report increased stress.”

Every student has a different experience completing schoolwork at home. Mine is rocking a baby to sleep as I watch math-nation videos. Both my aunt and uncle are essential workers, meaning they’re basically working full time throughout the week. Usually my grandmother would babysit their baby, but, her and my grandfather are both in quarantine, due to their higher risk status during the corona virus pandemic. This leaves my parents to babysit, but, they both have jobs they need to d0 (they’re working from home). This leaves me, the one who’s old enough to babysit and who doesn’t have a full-time job. Although I love babysitting, it’s a lot of work to juggle that and school, especially since I’ve never been the best with time management.

When I’m in school, I complete my work in class, and as for homework, I usually complete it right when I get home or while on the bus. This strategy has always worked well for me since time management has never been a strength of mine. One second I’m trying to comprehend math, the next I’m rearranging my room. I’ve always known that I wouldn’t do well in a homeschool setting. In school, you have order; you go to each class and do that class work in its own respective time. I never realized how much that worked for me and my productivity level until now, where I’m tasked with figuring out my own schedule and completing all the work on my own.

My schedule now is nothing to brag about. Throughout the day I’m taking care of the baby, and in the nighttime, I do my homework. I have to stay up late anyway since my aunt gets off work late, so it’s the perfect time to get everything done.

Through my experience during online school during the pandemic, I have learned that online learning is definitely not for me. Seeing my responsibilities as a babysitter, my awful time management skills, and my nocturnal schedule, I now realize how much I took the school environment for granted. There are students who thrive in online school, but I am not one of them!