During the pandemic, two suburban high school students did this through the failure of distance learning, but in completely different ways.
Jordan King set up the bedroom as he pleased. Her desk was neatly arranged under the attic bed. In order to change the scenery, she can move to the comfortable chair she set up for the reading area.
The 16-year-old said: "My room is in the basement, which is very good." "It's a bit far from everyone. So this is what I like."
Jordan is the kind of high school student who likes to wear fashionable clothes for school. These days, the outgoing juniors are sweating profusely when they log in to remote classes.
Unlike many other teenagers, Naperville North High School students actually like distance learning.
Jordan said: "It's easiest to balance my schedule, put things in place, and make time for things I know. It's much easier."
Teenagers are experiencing the pandemic in different ways, which may have an impact on their academics. Some people find it difficult to stay motivated. People like Jordan are flourishing.
"During the semester, she said: "To be honest, I can't believe I have done everything. "I don't know how." I never wanted to do such a thing. Therefore, I am proud of my adaptation. "
Middle school is often considered a critical moment in high school because grades are really important for college applications, and the pandemic is changing the way students manage schools. Jordan is a social person who likes school dance, but she prefers to be at home. Many teenagers have found it isolated from Lessly Gomez. During the decline in distance learning, WBEZ has been following these two high school students.
There are few introverts, and they were not interested in school dance or sports before. Now she is eager to go back to school.
She said: "I miss school and everything because it is obvious that I have to meet people every day." "I have to talk to people, even people I don't like."
The junior high school student at Zion Benton Township High School believes that once it is safe, she might even go home or go to a dance party.
Not too close to her family. These days, she spends her free time painting or watching the Harry Potter movie series with her sister.
It has always been difficult to conduct distance learning. During face-to-face study, she used to focus on her work. If she gets distracted, her teachers can go to her desk and tell her to go out.
"But online, they don't want us to turn on the camera," Leslie said. "They can't see what we are doing. And because I'm in the room, sometimes when I'm lying in bed, they can't see whether I'm sleeping or on the phone."
Let alone her grades have been affected. She believes that the lack of cameras is a central issue. Unlike what is required in schools in Jordan, there is no requirement in Rice’s school because the school says it may violate students’ privacy. But it would be embarrassing to make Leslie one of the few children visible on the black brick screen.
She said: "I think if they tell us to turn on the camera, maybe everyone will concentrate in class." "I think everyone will at least do better."
Few people start to think about the SAT in April. Due to poor communication between her schedule and the school, she missed the practice exam this fall, which made her a little worried. She was not sure where to start preparing.
Leslie’s school lacks funding from national standards. But overall, Leslie believes that the region is doing well in distance learning. But she does wonder if it will be different elsewhere.
The Naperville School in Jordan is very well funded and has a lot of online resources to support her distance learning. She thinks this has always been important to her performance. She has also made a plan to study the SAT during the winter vacation.
Now that autumn is over, both of them are looking forward to the next semester and hope to resume more normal lives. Few people came up with different ideas.
"At least during class, I should probably hide my phone somewhere. Therefore, I won't be really distracted," she said.
Jordan believes that the pandemic has changed this generation of students, and she has learned a lot personally.
She said: "My main gain is patience, just putting others in front of me."
The next semester is uncertain on major issues: whether and when they will start face-to-face learning; how they will take the SAT. But Jordan said that she will take the lessons of the epidemic to university and do everything in the future.
