professors , but it has also impacted her ability to stay focused and remain engaged in her classes . “ Discipline is crucial during the times of online learning ,” she explained . “ It is easier for me to stay engaged in a two-hour lecture when I am physically sitting in a classroom .”
And she is not alone in feeling this way . For Martha Amdahl , “ online learning feels taxing in more ( or perhaps just different ) ways than in-person learning ,” and for Logan Caldwell , having mostly online classes has meant “ spending more time studying to keep the same level of understanding [ he has ] had in other semesters .”
On the first day of class , Professor Mavrova Heinrich gave her trial advocacy students a welcome bag , which included hand sanitizer , disinfectant wipes , and an “ Objection , Your Honor !” face covering that she had specially made for them .
gathering as you walk by the library or as you make your way up or down the stairs and in the hallways . But the overall sense seems to be one of longing – longing for connections ; longing for a community ; longing for some “ normalcy .”
That sense is perhaps even more pronounced for students taking most of their classes online . “ I have spent two years surrounded by colleagues in the classroom ,” shared Tatiana Hamilton , another third-year law student . “ I am now surrounded by my colleagues on a computer screen . It has been quite a change .”
For Katie Winbauer , who is taking all of her classes online this semester from her home in Bismarck , the change to an online format has not only affected her ability to connect with her classmates and
I share these stories and sentiments to say that none of this has been easy – for any of us . The pandemic has upended our lives in so many different ways . We all have had to adapt and adjust time and time again . We have had to remain flexible in the face of unpredictability and stay strong in the face of uncertainty . We have had to be gritty and persist in hopes of persevering . I believe we will . I believe we will persevere .
And so , as we continue to navigate these uncertain and unprecedented times , let us be patient and flexible . Let us be gritty . Let us be kind to each other and remember to be kind to ourselves as well . Because there is nothing normal about this pandemic . We are all trying our best . We are all trying to get through it safe and healthy . But we are also all in it together !
Denitsa R . Mavrova Heinrich is the Rodney & Betty Webb Associate Professor of Law and the Director of Lawyering Skills and Trial Advocacy Programs at the University of North Dakota School of Law . The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely her own and do not reflect the views or opinions of the University of North Dakota School of Law .
8 THE GAVEL
A student prepares for class on the main floor of the Law Library .