The Catalyst / Photo courtesy of Kate Ragusa
Kate Ragusa, senior at NDB
Kate Ragusa, senior at NDB
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 Kate Ragusa, a senior at NDB, about her experiences going to school online.
The Catalyst (TC): What is a typical day of school like for you?
Kate Ragusa (KR): I wake up at 8:25 a.m. I open my computer, log into Schoology, join a Zoom classroom and do the same thing until 2:55 p.m. [I] rarely get out of my bed.
TC: How are you coping with social distancing and keeping in touch with your friends?
KR: I am seeing my friends on Zoom calls a lot during class and then even outside of class, FaceTiming them and talking to them. And, I’ve tried to take up new hobbies, so I don’t get too bored.
TC: What do you like and dislike about distance learning?
KR: I can get up later because I don’t have to go anywhere, and I like that I kind of have my free time to do what I want… I dislike not seeing my friends or learning in person and, sometimes, teaching things to myself…