As the first semester of the 2020-21 school years comes to a close, many students have been able to reflect on their semester, mostly online this year. Other than the two short weeks back in the building in the middle of October, students have had to navigate the world of online learning, with many students learning by themselves in their rooms. As a senior, there have been many instances throughout the day where I look out my window and I get a little sad finishing my last year of high school at home. Many students involved in their classes and extracurricular activities have been left disappointed and frustrated as they have worked in new classes by themselves. 

As we reflect on the past five months, both the good and the bad, I was curious to see what my peers, classmates, and fellow Boulder High students had to say about this semester. I sent out a survey to Boulder High students to understand what students loved about this year, what they wished would improve, and everything in between.

One of the most difficult aspects of online learning has been making friends, a relatively common part of in-person learning. Within classes where students did not have any friends going into the year, the ability to talk to your peers or the person sitting next to you is easier than on an online platform. For many freshmen, such as Georgie Fox,  wish more people had their cameras on so she could at least put a name to a Google Meet icon.  There are many of my classmates “I have never seen before,” Fox said. Fox believes the best way to get to know your peers is by interacting with others, but that element has been unfortunately lacking this semester. Going into her first year of high school, Fox needed more information about what the Boulder High online platform would look like this year. “Boulder High has been great with communicating” their plans throughout the semester, Fox said. While starting off unsure of what this year would look like, she was thrilled to meet with her classes and teachers every day, which was a different experience than the one she had during the second semester of last year while still in middle school.

Although many students have been able to connect with their teacher’s thanks to an advisory, forming a community within many classes is a different story. 70.6% of students at Boulder High found it challenging to create a strong classroom community this semester. Many students, such as sophomore Jordan Diamond, felt supported by their teachers but hasn’t “talked to many people” during the semester. Extracurricular activities seem to be the expectation. Many students feel that their extracurricular activities are where communities can genuinely be formed over a computer.  “Over the summer,” Diamond said, “I met more people in math club.” Creating connections and conversations with those who hold similar interests as you are much easier to begin talking to. I have found that in classes that are required and I am not as passionate about, I try to sign in to the google meet, do my work and leave. I do not put as much effort into meeting other students in those classes as I do in my extracurriculars. 

Similar to forming a community within classes, making friends is another missing part of this semester. In many of my classes, I would usually see one or two familiar faces that I would feel comfortable talking to on the first day. These were usually the people I would be closest with during class all year. Unfortunately, these friendships have been lost over the computer. Only 34% of students surveyed said have made new friends this semester. The lack of friendships made within classes was also a common answer when asked what the most significant difference between online and in-person classes. 

One of the many benefits of going to school in-person are the resources that are easily accessible during the school day. Just one short stroll down the hall and you can visit your counselor and get assistance, or go to the library and get a book. Although these resources look different online, senior Sophie Frankel is glad she has access to these resources. Frankel has felt supported by Boulder High, and although she hasn’t had the need for these resources, Frankel is happy they are there.

Though un-muting in a class of 20 other students can be nerve-racking, similar to giving a presentation in front of an audience, many students found smaller breakout rooms to be equally as awkward. Breakout rooms can be an excellent opportunity for students to meet others and feel more comfortable talking to others. Unfortunately, this only works if everyone is involved. I have found the situation only to worsen when my camera is on while the three other students are also muted with cameras off or type into the chat.

As a final question, I was curious about the learning portion of last semester and this semester. 79% of students believe that the quality of online learning improved this semester. Improving the quality has made this semester significantly more enjoyable as the communication, classes, and the online platform has been better for students and teachers alike. However, only 45% of students thought this semester has been less stressful than the previous semester of online in the spring. Although stress is never wanted, it is a good sign that Boulder High has done a decent job of continuing rigorous academic courses. 

Navigating through this semester has been an obstacle no Boulder High student has ever experienced, yet we have been able to get through it. As a senior, it is strange to feel as though I am halfway through my last year of high school, and although it has been less than ideal, the support and community within Boulder High have helped make this year feel slightly more normal. Getting through a full semester of online learning is something to be proud of, and while, hopefully, we will not have to repeat this for another whole semester, I know we will be able to do it successfully!