The Catalyst / Photo courtesy of Autumn Bristow
Autumn Bristow, senior at Milton High School
Autumn Bristow, senior at Milton High School
Since many schools have closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, many high school students are going to school online in what is called distance learning. Some of them communicate with their teachers via email or websites, like gClassroom and Schoology. Others participate in online classrooms via video conferencing apps, like Google Hangouts and Zoom. The Catalyst interviewed Autumn Bristow, a senior at Milton High School in Milton, Georgia, about her experiences going to school online.
The Catalyst (TC): What is a typical day of school like for you?
Autumn Bristow (AB): As a senior, I only had two academic classes and two electives. Our school has dedicated each day to a specific subject. So, on Wednesdays, I have my elective classes: Advanced Drama and Cirque. We use Zoom and rehearse our play for about an hour. And, for Cirque, our assignments are workout videos. On Thursday, I have APES, where I have assignments posted on Google Classroom. And, on Friday, I have AP Macro, where we use Schoology. My teacher records lectures each week and we take notes and then, our Schoology assignments are due Friday at midnight. I spend about 3 hours a week, doing school.
TC: How are you coping with social distancing and keeping in touch with your friends?
AB: I have spent a lot of time outside and found new hobbies, like going for a run in my neighborhood. Also, I have been FaceTiming a lot of friends that I don’t usually get to talk to, so that has been keeping me entertained. Additionally, I have been able to find fun new things to cook or bake.
TC: Are you keeping in touch with your significant other?
AB: Truthfully, I have still been able to hang out with David, my boyfriend, which has been nice.
TC: Do you want to go back to school or do you like distance learning? Why?
AB: I do want to go back to school. I had a lot of fun senior year experiences ahead of me and, now, I am unable to do those things. Also, I miss seeing all of my friends and teachers.
