Alex Chambers ’22
Staff Writer
Meaningful discussions, body language, non-verbal cues, and eye contact are all facets of the in-person classroom that seem to be lost in the new realm of virtual classes. Micah Fernald ’23 knows this better than anyone. While most students are on campus this semester and taking a combination of online and in-person courses, Micah decided to stay home and take her courses online. She credited this choice to her “safety, saving money, being able to work at a job, helping out [her] family, [and] not having to eat packaged meals.”
Micah explains that the biggest problem “with learning from home is that [she has] an increased loss of focus while in Zoom classes.”
Even with the difficulties of a virtual classroom, Micah believes that “this semester is exceedingly better than the spring… because the switch from in-person classes to remote in the spring was entirely unprecedented for both the teachers and students, leaving us all a bit perplexed as to what to do.” Micah pointed out multiple benefits to learning from home, including: more eating options, avoiding the move-in process, and fewer distractions from her schoolwork, “I do feel that I am more focused and get more work done… mainly because I do not have as many activities to time-manage.”
While Micah does not regret her decision, she expressed that she misses her “friends at school. I see everyone together and know that I would have a blast if I were with them.” Despite being completely remote, Micah is still able to participate in extracurriculars. She is co-music director of the Quirks acapella group, alongside Clare Donahoe ’22, for which she has helped to set up Zoom calls about once a week. Since the group is not allowed to gather on campus, Micah explained that they are “planning to spend time arranging music, having virtual choirs, participating in the virtual involvement fair, and more.”
Micah hopes to return for the spring semester: “I wanted to see how this semester would go first, and hopefully COVID will be at least a little better in March… I can’t survive without my Trinity friends until next August though.”
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