by Cameron Hayes

Life has changed significantly as a
college student in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. Classes are now
entirely virtual and campus resources are no longer as easy to access.
As my first week of virtual class comes to a close, I have had the
opportunity to understand what my semester will look like for the next
several weeks.

Professors spent much of their lecture
time trying to explain the adjustments that are being made to the course
overall, and how to use the technology platforms we are meeting on.
Additionally, some professors offered words of advice or condolences to
those of us who are second semester seniors without a proper end to our
time at Penn.

Lecture content has stayed relatively the
same, however there are new obstacles that students are facing.
Oftentimes the internet connection fails and you miss part of the point
the professor was making for the class, or trying to type notes on your
computer while simultaneously having the slides shown on the exact same
screen. Many students might not even have proper high speed internet
available to them at home in order to join the virtual lectures.

Another hurdle students face is lecture
attendance. I am lucky to live on the East coast, therefore having very
little effect on my class meeting times. However, students who are
located on the West coast or in different countries around the world
must join lectures during times they would be having a meal or otherwise
preoccupied. If joining the life lecture is incompatible with their
time zone, they must create their own schedule and watch the lectures on
their own. For students both attending live lectures or watching the
recorded versions, taking a college course in your bedroom or living
room or kitchen is not ideal. As a member of a family of six, I must try
to find ways to keep out the noises from around my house and stay
focused on the content I was previously learning in a classroom
environment.

I can no longer visit the library in
search of material for my research papers, or grab lunch with my friends
who, in reality, live across the country and the globe. I can no longer
go into the office to work on my projects for the Arthur Ross Gallery.
In many ways it is hard not to feel chained to a seat in front of your
computer during this time, because technology is what is keeping the
academic and social parts of my life alive.

The many challenges students are facing
at this time of uncertainty are the challenges people are facing
universally. Businesses must find ways to coordinate online
functionality if they are capable, elementary and high school educators
must try to keep their students up to date on the curriculum, and
everyone must keep themselves healthy and isolated.

While online learning has not been an
easy task, it is important to remember how lucky I am to be home and
safe with my family, as well as keep up with my coursework in order to
maintain a sense of normalcy in this unconventional time.