Zoom School Sucks: College Life in a Pandemic

Just a few short months ago, I intentionally enrolled in college classes that would be taught in person. Fast forward to today, and I, like many others, now find myself attending only online classes via Zoom. Although I have managed to adjust to this worldwide hiccup in education, there exist some points of friction for Zoom based learning. Today, in the top five fashion, I will explain why taking classes at home via Zoom sucks.

1.      My first complaint about taking classes via Zoom is the engagement (or lack thereof). As someone who prefers in-person, hands-on learning, I’ve really come to miss in-class activities that cannot be performed virtually. Additionally, some professors have completely scrapped opportunities that I’ve been looking forward to all semester, which has made things a bit lackluster. I believe engagement is also a problem for many of my peers, as I have noticed class attendance has declined as a result of online learning.

2.      My second complaint about taking classes via Zoom is the distractions that come with learning remotely from home. Imagine trying to learn organizational structure theory at your dining table while your mom is asking you how to watch a show she recorded on the T.V.… it’s harder than you think!

3.      This list would not be complete without my third complaint – internet problems. Just last week I was six minutes into a graded presentation when I was unexpectedly disconnected from the internet. Furthermore, most Zoom lectures I attend are accompanied by messages such as “unstable internet connection”, which make it much more challenging to learn.

4.      My fourth issue of using Zoom deals with the app’s privacy issues. Although I personally have yet to experience problems while using the app, it is still a valid concern that I felt needed to make this list.

5.      My fifth and final complaint about Zoom learning is that the classroom experience is just not the same. Even the most Zoom proficient professors simply cannot replicate the superior learning experience one gets while physically in the classroom.

Despite the issues I’ve experienced as a college student this semester while relying on Zoom, it is clear that this is a proficient temporary solution. With all of that said, I am optimistically looking forward to attending class on campus this next school year.