My First Week of Online Classes

My first week of online classes was an adjustment…

Out of my five classes, only two of them are meeting virtually every week. One class meets via Zoom twice a week and the other class meets once a week via WebEx.

These virtual classes are tough because it is sensory overload. The first two days of class felt like I had too many tabs open on my computer and too many open in my head. The professor is speaking at the same time the PowerPoint slides are on your screen, but then half way through, you have to switch to the Google Document that the class is working on and then switch back to the slides and then back again to your class’s Canvas page.

My professors are trying to make virtual class the same as we had on campus, but it is really difficult, for both the students and the professors. 

The microphone and WIFI service goes in and out.

It is also so much easier to get distracted in an online classroom. You can see everyone’s video, which means you can see what they are wearing and where they are sitting in their house. And then you are only supposed to focus on your professor who is speaking and the slides on the screen…

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I have two classes online which means that one of my French classes, my two English classes and my chorus class are “work at your own pace.”

My classes that are “work at your own pace” are strictly discussion classes that now have transformed into Google Document classes. I have to type my answers to discussion questions via a google document. Definitely not ideal. 

In my eyes, classes like this are definitely boring and less fulfilling online.

I am a very type-A, scheduled person, so when my world flips upside down and we no longer have a set schedule it is a bit tough at first until I reacclimate to my new more flexible schedule.

I really do enjoy working by myself and I easily do so from my bedroom but working alone all day, every day is boring.

As an online student, now I have little to no socialization during the day. I think everyone can agree, that the best parts about classes, is that we get to talk to people!

Because of these unprecedented times, Wake Forest University has decided to allow all students to take all our classes pass/fail for this semester.

As I have already been admitted to one law school and am graduating this semester, with no chance of my GPA increasing, I have decided to take my 14.5 hours of classes pass/fail.

With this new freedom, I have decided to also focus on working from 9-5 pm or from 10-6 pm, every day.

It is so easy for Wake Forest students to always be working 24/7, but because classes are now online and are now pass/fail, I will be taking a more relaxed approach to my studies and have some more ME time!