2 Questions with 8 Essential People

As this semester is coming to an end I thought it would be the perfect time to reach out to my friends to check on them and get different perspectives on how this online semester went for them. As CCBC students for fall 2020, we faced new coming challenges of being taught remotely with sometimes not ever getting to meet your professors, classmates, or stepping foot on campus. I picked up on a lot of different opinions on how this semester went for 8  of my friends. Please enjoy another one of my greatest opportunities I get as a blogger, interviewing people!!!   

 They were all asked the same 2 questions, I’ve listed the questions right below and numbered their responses.  

1. How did you feel about taking online classes this semester?  
2. How do you personally feel towards the word/thought “coronavirus” or “covid19”?  

Mike Rice, Engineering Major   

1. It was my first online class experience. I was nervous heading into it and unsure how they would go because I had lab in physics. Then I was like, OHHH these classes are online so it’s gonna be a breeze. WRONG!!! 14 weeks in, and I still have exams, assignments on top of the exams like immediately after, and homework to do while having to make it to class, while working a job. For the in-person classes, they wouldn’t get moved to online even though a student got Covid………. My other online class (which is psychology) is super easy because the assignments are already posted and we can do them on our own time which is what I prefer most. I have been able to come to office hours while at home and that is a positive so I can’t complain there, just having the comfort of being home is what I enjoy most. But I would rather class be in person where I’m actually learning step by step, opposed to being given a lecture based on wordy PowerPoints. I feel like I’m teaching myself at times and having to watch YouTube videos. I’m not getting a hands-on in-depth learning experience, which sucks. 
2. I’m not bothered by those words as much as I am with the virus as a whole and it still being put on us even through 2021. I honestly don’t get why Covid-19 or Coronavirus is getting censored?? Like maybe the government knows something we don’t wink wink. But either way, we should be able to say it. Especially if people are getting this virus like are doctors not supposed to say the word either so I don’t even know anymore. I feel like the world has gotten very soft and sensitive and I would just rather have the world go back to normal.  

                –Sincerely, Michael Rice (current CCBC student) 

Laura Medina, Nursing Major   

1. I felt overwhelmed because online is hard in the sense that it involves a lot of self-teaching hahaha… Online is hard on people that lack discipline and consistency. 
2. I’m scared of covid19, but I still want to have fun. So, I’m cautious about who I hang out with. 

Dorian Hickman, Computer Science Major  

1. Well, online classes in my opinion were a good plan but poorly executed on the college’s part. I believe they should’ve done leprechaun to make sure the students had the capabilities to attend all classes. And seeing as a lot of people find it very difficult to learn that way, especially at a college level, I feel as though they should’ve helped us along a bit more.  
2. As for the word covid19 and coronavirus, it inspires not necessarily fear, but a necessary precaution needs to be taken always. And it scares me because even if I make the right moves others may not and that would inevitably put me in danger.   

Meg Sabanal, Nursing Major  

1. Online classes come with a lot of uncertainty. To be honest, I wasn’t worried about how I’ll be able to navigate through it. I was more worried about my professors and the workload for the class especially my sciences. I learn best face to face because I like seeing, doing, and applying what I’m learning. So the only thing I can hope for was for them to be considerate of the current situation and the difference in the learning experience, just as how I’ll be considerate of theirs. :)) 
2. It’s like online classes lol, full of uncertainty at least to me. Because we’ll never really know who has it, what to do with it, or even how to cure it- it just adds more stress and anxiety. You can do your best to stay healthy but when others around you don’t, it impacts you too. And so, we’ll never really be certain of the next thing that could happen. :))

Francesco Rocha, Engineering Major 

1. In the beginning, I thought it would be hard taking stem classes online, but once the semester started it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I feel like some of my classes were actually easier online and less time-consuming. I also had good professors this semester so the transition to online wasn’t bad. 
2. I just find it annoying that it changed  my lifestyle for a long time and I want it to be back to normal soon 

Patricia Pascua, Medical Laboratory Tech Major 

1. Taking online classes, I feel like,  it was/is more stressful than going to campus for class. Every day just seemed so repetitive and sitting all day in front of my computer became too much because of it. I remember there was a week where my eyes started to hurt from looking at my computer screen for too long. It’s also so hard to be motivated to do my classwork because all I wanna do is lay down on my bed (which is just right next to me). I think other students motivate me to study harder? I don’t really know if that makes sense, but lol yeah. And so that’s why I think my environment definitely has something to do with it. Being in a classroom setting puts my mind to think that “yeah, it’s time to study” but when I’m just in my room, it’s hard and takes time to get into that mindset. So yeah, I agree with Laura; it absolutely requires self-discipline and motivation. And sometimes, when we have online events to attend, as an ambassador, you know, it could take hours to be in front of the computer. And so, add that to the number of hours for your classes, homework, and projects; it’s all just too much sometimes /: 
2. How I feel about covid19? It’s scary. Because it’s powerful enough to stop the world for several months, as well as it takes hundreds of thousands of people’s lives. So, yeah the word “cautious” definitely comes up, because that’s what we need to do for the rest of the world to continue to be safe. 

Fernando Martinez, Accounting Major 

1. For it to be my last semester here at CCBC, I thought it would be a challenge but so far I have been able to get through it as any other semester. I am excited to say that I will be graduating this fall semester of 2020! 
2. I’m over it, cannot wait for things to get back to “normal”. 

Graycie Christello, Business Major 

1.  I don’t mind online classes, especially asynchronous because I enjoy being able to work at my own pace and it conforms to my existing schedule better. But I do miss how natural in-person classes feel. I find it a lot harder to communicate and connect with a professor over a screen, which can make it more difficult to ask questions and understand concepts. 
2.   I feel that I, like so many others around me, am in this odd stage of the pandemic where these words don’t really phase me. We’ve adapted them into everyday life and discussion to the point where we hear “coronavirus” and shrug it off like we would the words “thunderstorm” – as if we know it’s bad but don’t think it’ll horribly effect us. That thought is scary to me because we should be phased. We should still be shocked, and sad, and angry, and fighting for proper care and response from the government. I feel that “coronavirus“ is too gentle a word now, we need to start being harsh. People are dying at rapid rates, which means children are losing parents at rapid rates, families are being destroyed at rapid rates, people in dire need of help are being ignored at rapid rates. “Coronavirus” is just a word, but it’s effects are very real. 

I would like to personally say that I feel indifferent about online learning but at the same time I feel like science and math classes are a bit more overwhelming online versus in person. I’ve had experiencing with remote learning with mini mesters I’ve taken in the past, but this is definitely different. Mini mesters are essentially built for being pretty self-explanatory, while some classes that I’m currently taking remotely make me feel anxious attending them via zoom/Microsoft teams. With the end of the semester being in two weeks, THANK YOU GUYS for taking the time to help me with this blog. I don’t know what I would do without yalls help and you’ve all helped me so much this semester and in the past!!! Everyone stay safe, and till next time 😉 

As the great Steve Lacy once said,  

“If I could travel through time, I think I, 

Would tell myself from the past, you’ll be fine”