Not that long ago, we were sitting in a classroom, learning face-to-face and doing homework and projects on paper, then turning it in the next day.
But then along came COVID, and suddenly going to class in person or writing homework on paper wasn’t possible. The age of online classes and assignments turning from written to typed, a virtual “classroom” where teachers could present their lessons over the computer and still be in contact with students.
Eventually society overcame COVID, and we came back to the in-person classroom – no more online classes, everyone thought, until students learned that we don’t get precious snow days when we have platforms to learn away from school.
So, what is better? Continuing the momentum of education, or enjoying a nice break in the week? During the recent snowstorm that dumped as much as 18 inches on the state, Connecticut school leaders closed schools and gave students a day off, while in New York City, where residents saw a foot of snow, classes moved online.
College students wake up, go to class, go home, grind out homework for a few hours and then sleep. This cycle repeats itself for months at a time. The weekends are nice, but nothing special. Then winter comes along and so does snow, and snow can make it difficult for classes to happen and sometimes, if the tired college student gets lucky, classes get cancelled. That’s a nice break in the cycle, a day to relax and do nothing.
Some New Haven students prefer this over Zoom classes. Jake Pinsky and Giancarlo Paonessa, two sophomore forensic science students, do.
“I don’t think zoom classes work efficiently,” said Pinsky.
Paonessa said that “no one wants to unmute and turn their camera on.”
In addition, Zoom classes aren’t interactive, and don’t promote participation, an essential part of learning.
Sabrina Paez, a sophomore forensic science major, said she likes to “sleep in, try to catch up on other work for classes.” Aleah Shahbazi, a sophomore criminal justice major, said she prefers to do her chores and errands on snow days.
College students are adults, who have adult responsibilities and sometimes, they need extra time to prioritize those. Some people prefer having Zoom class, but not necessarily for reasons you might think.
Dominic Pirozzi, a sophomore forensic science major, said, “there are some benefits to online learning. It is beneficial for the instructor to offer some methods of learning.”
These unexpected breaks in classes, especially classes that meet less frequently, can interrupt learning. As Pirozzi said, students are paying for their education and they might as well have classes.
Some students are old enough to remember proper snow days, where they did nothing but catch up on sleep, homework and relaxation. But in a post-COVID world, we have solutions to combat not having a physical place to learn. States such as Connecticut prefer giving hardworking students the day off, while others prefer to continue education no matter the weather.
So what is better? Keeping up the hard work or getting a much deserved day for rest and relaxation, a debate that will be around for years.
