Since the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, we’ve been faced with the challenge of learning from home, having to completely change the way we used to learn. Aside from everything being online, we’ve also had to find a location in our homes to learn, faced not being in a room with people our own age, dealt with the discomfort of having to speak up in classes, and fought the temptation of turning off our cameras. We can see everyone at once, and it just changes the flow of how things used to work.

With the short notice of online learning, people were scrambling to get the supplies and setups they needed, buying things off Amazon, going to stores, or digging in the back of closets to find leftover school supplies. On top of that, we’ve had to find places in our houses to set up our learning stations. Some people have desks, some use dining room tables, and others have to make do with couches and beds. However, with having the freedom to choose where we learn, we find ourselves getting distracted by things happening in our homes.

A number of students have attempted to create a space that encourages productivity. “I have a window kind of behind me and to the left, so I can look out at the street if I hear shouting or something. I have some of my artwork on my walls, with a world map over my desk and an anatomy poster on my right. So I have a lot to look at,” says freshman Yashika Raja. Other people have situations similar to hers, windows to stare out of, art they’ve memorized, or other room decor.

Aside from the scenery distractions, some students still find it difficult to stay focused on their schoolwork. Getting distracted can be as easy as opening another tab and there’s no teacher to peer over your shoulder. Yashika says, “It is a little harder, but that’s because I’m at home and facing some issues I haven’t really noticed.”

For other students, however, focus has improved. Some say that friends and other people in a regular school environment cause a bigger distraction and that being by themselves is helping them focus.

While students’ learning preferences differ, one thing is certain; PHS will continue to help students as much as they can to get through these difficult times.