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For the past three years, I've been immersed in virtual classrooms after I transitioned to all-online learning due to the pandemic. As someone who has directly experienced both online school and a return to in-person classes and has experienced what in-person school was like before COVID hit the globe, I've felt the negative effects and lasting impacts that a lack of traditional schooling can bring. The isolation of learning solely through a computer took a mental and social toll that lingered.
Even after coming back to school, I have forgotten how to communicate with people effectively, and my self-confidence and social skills have dropped rapidly. I missed out on everyday interactions with peers between classes and after school and presentations that should be done in front of the class, not staring in front of a screen. The virtual school felt hollow compared to the lively energy of being with classmates. Over time, this disconnect negatively impacted my well-being as loneliness set in, and I am still healing from it. Staying focused from home also proved challenging as distractions like phones, TV, and my comfortable bed and PJs made concentrating even more difficult without the structure of a physical school setting and without teachers eyeing you. The transition out of online school has been an adjustment as I continue to adapt socially. I am still learning how to study effectively once again in a busy classroom environment. Below, I will share some of the major lasting impacts that my classmates and I faced or are still facing after years of online school.
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Confidence and Social Skills
One of the most noticeable impacts I experienced was how my social skills and confidence significantly declined after three years of virtual schooling. I became uncomfortable engaging with my peers in person, as I am so used to texting online and talking to profile pictures instead of real people in front of me, finding it difficult to have natural interactions and conversations like I once did before the pandemic hit. My self-esteem also took a big hit as public speaking anxiety emerged, knowing I would have to relearn how to comfortably present and share my thoughts in front of a classroom rather than being isolated behind a computer screen.
By my third year of online classes, I started to feel completely out of practice socially, and I was not disconnected from my classmates after I returned to school. Simple things like meeting friends during lunch or making small talk in the hallways became difficult because I had forgotten how to have casual in-person conversations and make connections. The transition has been extremely challenging as I work to rebuild those social skills and confidence that eroded in the lonely trenches of virtual learning.
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Concentration Problems in Class and Doing Homework
Between the distractions of active class discussions and extra noises, maintaining focus in lessons has been challenging. I frequently lose my train of thought while taking notes and listening to the teacher speak. It takes real effort for me not to daydream or stare off into space.
Once at home, concentrating on completing assignments has also been difficult as temptations from phones, TV, and other distractions disrupt my flow. After years of isolated online learning, I lost the skills to screen out stimuli around me and live without being constantly plugged into a device or streaming service. Rebuilding my focus has required setting strict boundaries and workload limits for myself to start with. I've found it helpful to start in a quiet library or cafe rather than my bedroom until my confidence improves. It's been a learning process, but concentration gradually strengthens with practice.
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Depression
After experiencing months of seclusion from peers due to virtual schooling, isolation began negatively impacting my mental health. With each passing week spent mostly alone in front of a screen, I descended further into a depressed state. The loneliness I felt was overwhelming as the joy from everyday social interactions at school diminished entirely.
Most days, it became a struggle just to complete assignments or do basic self-care tasks. I found little motivation to care for myself, with no social or school obligations pulling me out of bed each morning. Communicating with classmates and teachers solely through video chat left me feeling more detached than connected, craving real human interaction. All the while, pandemic worries swirled as the future seemed uncertain. Would in-person schooling ever return? By my second year of virtual classes, depression had fully set in, manifesting as tearfulness, loss of interest in activities I once enjoyed, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite and sleep patterns with insomnia hitting hard, and an overall bleak outlook on life. Simple tasks like sending a friend request or commenting on social media posts felt exhausting. I knew I needed help, but reaching out was a challenge. Online counseling options provided limited relief over video meetings. I struggled to be vulnerable before a screen versus talking to someone face-to-face. At my lowest points, intrusive thoughts grew hard to ignore. It wasn't until I re-entered full in-person classes and reconnected with others that my mental state gradually started improving. Being surrounded by peers daily and engaging socially through hands-on group work helped lift my mood significantly. The experience highlighted how crucial interaction and friendship are for adolescent well-being, especially when enduring stressful, prolonged isolation.
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Final Thoughts
While online schooling posed immense challenges, focusing on minor improvements each day has shown me how far I've come. Slowly, skills and confidence lost during lonelier periods return through little acts of bravery where I push past my comfort zone. Although complete focus and self-motivation remain a work in progress, overcoming obstacles has equipped me with valuable life tools.
While mental and emotional adjustments take time, choosing resilience over resentment gives solace. Difficult transitions build character when faced with grit instead of giving up. Although some effects may linger, prioritizing growth means leaving past troubles in their place. Each challenge ultimately refines the human spirit by embracing lessons through open eyes and ears instead of closed hearts. I hope that more may feel less alone in their adjustments and find renewed purpose. For any facing similar transitions or trials, remember that strength exists in seeking help, community, and a future filled with unwritten, brighter days. Stay Positive :)
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