In high school, there are several factors that create stress and anxiety for students. With this unprecedented year, several students have opted to remain virtual for the remainder of the school year due to health concerns, family obligations, or simply preference. Because of the challenges with ongoing online classes, these students, as well as in-person students, are undergoing more stress than a typical school year. 

Junior Cameryn Norrell prefers in-person school and had a hard time adjusting to online school.

“I like in-person school because I get to socialize more often, but with online school, I have a more flexible schedule for work and other activities. I lose social skills because I don’t really get the chance to see people from school,” Norrell said. 

Norrell saw a shift in his workload when he was virtual, and while he appreciates the more flexible schedule that came with this change, he believes that it has also led many students to struggle with anxiety and stress. 

“I’d say the workload has affected my stress levels because some people have six to eight classes and get a lot of work with different due dates,” Norrell said.

Likewise, Junior Aidan Pace is not a fan of virtual education and would rather learn in an in-person setting.

“I don’t think online school [had] a positive effect on me. The environment feels nicer in the building and I can see my friends. Plus, it has affected my mental health greatly,” Pace said. 

Junior Vinata Kondragrunta is on the leadership team of SpeakUp, Clover Hill’s mental health advocacy club. Like Pace, she believes that school was stressful before and this year is certainly no different. 

“Personally, I do find that school increases my stress. When you take so many different and hard classes, it comes with a certain caliber you’re expected to maintain,” Kondragrunta said.  “Being able to consistently perform at your very best for so many classes along with being active outside of school will inevitably cause stress.” 

While Junior Logan Mckay has seen his stress gradually increase during the 2020-2021 school year, he sustains a positive attitude towards his academics.

“I think school does have a positive effect on me. Education is really important and means a lot to me. Sometimes it can be really stressful, but I know I’ll see good results once I’m done,” Mckay said. 

Overall, virtual school has widely affected teachers and students during these hard times throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear that people have experienced many hardships during 2020 and ongoing into 2021. Students can only hope for a better future. Many students are eager and ready to get back in the building and start learning in a normal setting again.