Back to School Thoughts

It has been nearly a month since AISG high school students returned to the Science Park campus after a long “coronacation”. In order to ensure everyone’s safety and prevent the spread of the virus, the Guangzhou Bureau of Education implemented some new measures. A lot of changes have been happening at school, such as being allowed to not wear masks as we approach the end of the school year. Here are some thoughts on coming back to school and the new measures that were implemented.

Sheila W., a sophomore at AISG, says that her back-to-school experience so far has been “interesting”, because of the way we work and interact with the teachers. She also says that it’s difficult to communicate with the teachers who are outside of Guangzhou, which is a downside. She says that the new schedule is hard to get used to because the whole grade has the same classes at the same time. Sheila also says that “the new restrictions, such as having to leave the windows open during class makes [her] feel ‘imprisoned’ because it’s not the experience [she] was looking forward to, but [she] does understand that these rules are set to keep everyone safe.”

Andy H. says that his experience has been “pretty smooth” and that it’s nice to see everyone after being away for so long. He also says that coming back to school is good for students as they are getting back into the habit of studying and doing school-related activities. Andy stressed that the new rules are quite strict but necessary to keep everyone safe, saying that “the virus needs to be reduced in order for things to return to normal later on.” In addition, he believes that the new schedule has its up and downs, but students need to understand that it’s “a pretty hard time and we’re pretty fortunate to be back at school.” Therefore, adjusting to the new schedule is something students should accept and be able to do.

Max J., a freshman, says that his experience coming back to school has felt the same as online learning and that there is not much difference. Max says that not having air conditioner in class can feel “uncomfortable”, but he doesn’t really mind it.

Another student, Akimi L., says that her experience is not as great as she thought it would be, because a lot of her teachers are not currently in Guangzhou. “It’s basically online learning but at school,” she remarked. She thinks the new rules are a good way of keeping everyone safe, so she is happy to follow them for that reason. She does, however, think that there are still a lot of people who are not following the rules, including talking in the cafeteria and walking really close to one another. Akimi has no problem with the new schedule and thinks it is “good.”

Jacky L., an eighth-grader, says that “it was great to meet my friends but it’s still kind of dangerous.” He says that it is sometimes scary to be at school as we have to be constantly social distancing and having our temperatures monitored. Jacky also says that there was an instance where his temperature was recorded and it was above 37 degrees Celsius, meaning he had to be taken to the isolation room. Once he reached the isolation room, they rechecked his temperature and it had decreased. He was then allowed to return to class. Regarding the new schedule, Jacky’s opinion is that it’s “kind of awkward” as he has people he doesn’t know very well in all his mixed classes.

Sofia V., a junior, says that she has noticed a change in her attention span and focus. She says that it is hard for her to get back into routine, because she has been away from school for so long and is used to completing work all in one day. At first, Sofia was confused by the new schedule, but she says that she has two free blocks which she enjoys. On the other hand, Sofia does not having any schedule conflicts compared to other Juniors, who were unable to have Theory of Knowledge (TOK). She expressed that the new rules are logical and that they must be followed, since it is not only a requirement from the school but the government as well.

Brandon Z., another eighth-grader, says that a lot of the teachers are not back yet so it makes it easier to play video games during class. He says that there was not much difference transitioning from online learning to having to attend school, because most of the assignments are still online or through zoom calls. He says the new rules and regulations are “not that bad” because it does not affect him.

Richard W., a freshman, says that he does not like the back-to-school experience, because he would rather work from home. He thinks that the new schedule is “okay”, but he doesn’t think that fitting everyone into one classroom is very suitable. Richard is also okay with the new rules set in place because they are keeping everyone safe.

Sabrina C., a sophomore, expressed that it has been “really fun to see [her] friends again” as she deeply missed them over the long break. Sabrina also mentioned that she prefers physical learning to online learning, because she feels like she studies and learns better this way. She also says that the new schedule is exactly the same as her old one and that she “actually like having my whole grade with me in all my classes.” When discussing the new rules, Sabrina says: “They may seem a little excessive at times, especially when I want to talk to my friends and sit in a room with good air-conditioning, but if you really think about it, it’s better to be safe than sorry.” This mentality of “rather be safe than sorry” is common throughout many returning high-schoolers.

Students who underwent physical schooling during the coronavirus might have had to follow strict regulations, but the general sentiment among these high-schoolers is that it’s necessary and for the greater good.