As students prepare to transition into spring semester, they are entering a new chapter of this unprecedented school year. Some e-learners plan to turn the page completely by returning to campus, while others have decided to remain at their at-home desks.

After getting a taste of e-learning in the first semester, freshman Nia Samuels has decided to head back to campus. 

“The main reasons I am going back are to form better connections with teachers and to be more included in class,” Samuels said. “It’s hard to get acquainted with teachers when the only communication you have is through a screen, sometimes without cameras on. Some of my teachers have never seen my face before. I want to go back so I can participate more. There’s a definite divide between online kids and people going to school in-person. Sometimes they do activities in class that e-learners cannot participate in, which I find annoying because we just sit there and watch.” 

Samuels also wants to return to school in order to restore more frequent communication with her friends. 

“Learning at home makes it hard to keep in touch with a lot of people because I am not seeing them on a daily basis,” she said. “Going back to school will definitely help me talk to friends more.”

Regardless of her firm stance to go back, Samuels still shares anxiety when it comes to the risk of contracting COVID-19 at school.

“It’s definitely a difficult decision to go back into school because of the coronavirus, but I am hoping that people are following the CDC guidelines,” she said. “I have concerns about how safe the school can really be with the amount of people at school, but West Shore has had less cases than other schools like Mel High and Eau Gallie, which makes me feel a little bit better.”

Junior Allie Murray, however, has decided to continue distance learning. 

“I am staying online because the virus is getting worse,” Murray said. “The rising COVID numbers are really concerning and I don’t really feel comfortable being around that many people on a daily basis. I also genuinely like learning online better.”