Lazette Special Issue: Living Not Surviving May 2021 | Page 7

Cold air stings your lungs as you begin to fight the shrill dissonance of your alarm . With eyes refusing to open , the realization hits you : this is your routine now . Another imitation of an old cycle consisting of notification after notification , your screens being the only things you ever interact with anymore . Back then , all of us feared the day that our parents would confiscate the device that made us curious and immersed in the first place : our tablets . We used to pray that they would not limit our time with it , but now ? We are uninterested and tired .
As exhausted as we may be , we bear staring into our screens from seven in the morning all the way to twelve in the afternoon ; not even accounting for the time we must spend conversing with our classmates , not about leisure , but for academics . Without the simple nuances of going to school physically , life could not be any more mundane . When class ends , we get up , perhaps even stretch if we were motivated enough . We then go to the kitchen , have lunch , and go to our rooms to start our assessments . From there , we will probably sit down and complete school works that should take around two to four hours . But those few hours turn into days , and soon our deadlines are closer than we remember . As much as the impending deadline stresses us out , we honestly could not care less ; these days will repeat themselves , and in our heads , we got through them this way , so it would not hurt to let the cycle repeat , right ?
Even so , this practice is not the same for all students , with some families not being able to afford or provide the convenience of having a learning-friendly environment . From the sounds of neighbors arguing , parents scolding younger siblings , to an impending storm interrupting their internet connection , it is a given that not every home can cater to having the most convenient setup that optimizes a student ’ s learning capacity . In the end , the student ’ s learning environment is not within their control - it is dependent on the ability of their guardian to provide for their education .
Some students have said “ not everyone ’ s home can cater to the most convenient set up [ for a ] learning friendly environment ” and that “ there will be a lot of distractions especially during the classes itself .” Due to these concerns , learners in such environments tend to fall behind in class and have a hard time grasping concepts , which hinders them from realizing their academic potential , all because their homes have not been prepared to create a proper disposition to online learning and fail at providing a conducive environment for such an endeavor . In these times , the only hurdle between a student and their capabilities should be the material and information made available to them , not the screens that serve as a medium for such . For many of us , this pandemic has not only become a wall to scale , but for the students who lack motivation , it has become a mountain to climb , and one that cannot be climbed without struggle .
School used to be a haven of learning and a competition of intellect , but during this period of isolation , it has become a shell of what it once was . A place that used to be the home of enriching experiences has turned into a race of endurance , in which the goal is not to be the best , but to hold out and last longer than everyone else . Instead of enjoying their youth , students are encouraged to be shooting stars : bright and enthusiastic in the beginning , but as time develops , they burn to ash and evaporate into nothing . Problems that occurred in school were normally left there to rot , but the division of home and school has become muddled . The boundary that separated these two were crossed the moment school works were brought into the comfort of one ’ s house . With that , the stress that used to be left in school now has a constant reminder that haunts a student : notifications and ringtones .
It is valid to say that no system could ever be considered perfect , and the Lasallian online education system is no exception . Even so , they have proved effective in instilling a sense of school spirit within the students and boosting their morale . One of our transferee students stated that , in comparison to their old school , La Salle is quite considerate and they appreciate the mentality of “ walang iwanan ” as everyone is brought and connected together , including the teachers and the faculty . Many students have pointed out that our educators made them feel cared for and understood ; whereas some schools ’ guidance system seemed interrogatory , our guidance counselors have done an exceptional job in creating a safe and welcoming environment for students to open up and express themselves .
However , no institution is free of flaws , and there are many teachers who have had their shortcomings - may it be ignoring the criticism they receive on their teaching style or being skeptical about legitimate concerns on technical difficulties . Students have also waged their battles with motivation , with many chalking up their struggle to “ being lazy .” In this case , procrastination is not a direct result of not wanting to do things , but instead , a coping mechanism made to avoid stressors such as the possibility of failing or not meeting a personal standard . Distractions may be a hurdle , but they could also be considered a safety net .
Though this school year was less than satisfactory , and many people can back it up , there are still some redeeming qualities we cannot deny , What got most of us through the disappointments we faced was not the “ convenience ” of our education system , but the opportunities we gained and the people we had by our side to keep us going . That is what the Lasallian spirit truly is : undying camaraderie amidst the challenges we face .
ONLINE CLASSES

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