With the novel Covid-19 virus, school has changed immensely. Students now have the ability to choose from a myriad of options over how they complete their school year. It’s not even just about coming into school or remaining virtual, students are able to select to remain home for part of the week. Furthermore, even when students elect to come into school, the option of staying home and completing the day virtually is always an option. With the commencement of the third marking period, I chose to come to school five days a week because it is imperative to my success as a student. 

A signifigant reason to come into school is the connections that you have the ability to experience. After a long period of mostly staying home, it was exhilarating for me to see my friends and my teachers when I entered the building. Social interactions are extremely significant and have a major impact on our mental health, therefore school provides the best option to stay connected while staying safe. Going through classes with our peers serves as a grounding experience, reminding us that we are not the only ones going through these difficult times. Staring at your computer screen all day allows us to forget that there are other students who are taking the same courses and participating in similar activities. Yet, when we are present with our friends, we have the ability to bond with them on a deeper level through shared experiences. 

Not only is the connection with peers important, but the connection that students have with their teachers is also essential. Having a strong relationship with teachers makes participating so much easier because you have a better understanding of the way they run their class and they have a more stable comprehension of you as a learner. Over the computer, it is extremely difficult to get an accurate impression of the environment that your teacher sets up as well as their personality. By going into school and learning in person, there may be a completely different atmosphere that can change the way you feel about the material, your teacher, and even your own capabilities. 

As a person who greatly values having a plan, coming into school is a crucial way to maintain an organized schedule. Simply leaving the house and immersing oneself in new surroundings allows for a separation between homework and classwork, which enables increased productivity. Furthermore, there are fewer distractions at school, meaning that it is more likely that you will be able to complete assignments faster and at a more advanced level. Not only will this aid in improving your grades, but accomplishing your assignments will help you to feel an increased satisfaction in yourself and your capabilities. In addition, the fact that schools enable students to have a different environment for each subject is truly beneficial for our focus. When you are only at home, there is nothing to break up the periods because you do not move from your computer. In contrast, going into school allows us to be able to move in between classes and enables us to reset before taking on the next class. 

Overall, coming into school is a viable option for students to be able to leave their house, connect with friends, and improve their academic performance. In comparison to the other very few options for activities, school provides a way for students to be able to be active academically and socially in conditions where they are largely protected. Freehold Township High School has taken extensive measures to ensure that all students are safe and therefore our administration has provided us with a way that allows us to have a different activity other than staying at home continuously.