Jayna Rohslau, ‘22

During this time of pestilence, students at BHSEC have had a plethora of different problems and experiences.  I reached out to a few online to get their thoughts on the coronavirus, canceled plans, and going back to school.

Annie Morrison, Y1

How were your summer plans impacted by the coronavirus?

The biggest way my summer plans were interrupted by Corona was when my summer camp was canceled.  They tried to do online camp but it just wasn’t the same, and it was especially disappointing because I was supposed to be a CIT this year.

Have you opted for hybrid learning or fully remote?  How do you feel about returning to the classroom?

I’ve opted for hybrid. I mostly chose hybrid because online learning is hard for me. It's much easier to focus when I have people around to keep me engaged. I feel like discussions during in-person class are a lot better.  So in that way I’m excited but nervous about the cases going way up once we go back and it not lasting that long.  In that way, I’m a little upset that the city spent so much time trying to make blended learning work instead of improving remote learning.

How do you feel BHSEC has handled learning during the pandemic?  Are you happy with their handling of the situation?

I’m pretty happy with how BHSEC has handled online learning.  From what I know, I think our quality of learning was much higher than that of other schools, and I know that everybody has been working super hard to get blended learning to work which I appreciate.  I also appreciate how clear and communicative Dr. Lerner has been throughout the pandemic.  I have realized that our school is smaller and has more resources than most other schools and that’s part of why we’ve been as successful as we’ve been.

Marcus Liszkiewicz, Y2

What are you looking forward to this school year (sports, friends, extracurriculars)?  Do you think it will be affected by the pandemic?

This year I was looking forward to all the classes offered by the Y2 teachers at Bard and applying to colleges. I do think that this pandemic will force our school to do online learning for the remainder of the fall semester (hopefully not).  But other than that I don’t really think that Bard will be heavily impacted by the pandemic in other ways.

Have you opted for hybrid learning or fully remote?  How do you feel about returning to the classroom?

I have chosen to be fully remote.I just don’t like the way the DOE is handling things when it comes to this pandemic. I understand it’s a confusing time for everyone, but it’s not worth taking the risk of getting sick by coming into school.

How do you feel BHSEC has handled learning during the pandemic?  Are you happy with their handling of the situation?

I am not really sure yet, we haven’t seen how the Bard faculty will deal with this pandemic.s of right now they seem very unsure about what is going on, and I really don’t blame them.

Litzy Puma, 10th Grade

How were your summer plans impacted by the coronavirus?

I had to replan all of the plans I had with people.  I was stuck at home in the beginning, but then I tried to adjust into this new life of wearing masks and social distancing.  I found myself always going to the park and the beach.  Mostly places with big spaces.

What are you looking forward to this school year (sports, friends, extracurriculars)?  Do you think it will be affected by the pandemic?

I was looking forward to playing tennis and also trying out new sports.  I also wanted to have that joy of reuniting with my friends on the first day of school.  So overall I feel like yes, Covid has affected my school year.  But I understand online learning is all for our own good.

Have you opted for hybrid learning or fully remote?  How do you feel about returning to the classroom?

I opted for remote classes because my family is concerned for my safety at school due to Corona.

Declan Gunn, Y2

What are you looking forward to this school year and do you think it will be affected by the pandemic?

Model UN usually means packing into congested buses or trains five times a year and going to conferences packed shoulder to shoulder with sweaty teenagers, so for obvious reasons these in person conferences are less feasible this school year.  Nevertheless, virtual conferences are coming to life in a fascinating way - we hosted one through Zoom for Bards Manhattan and Queens at the end of last year, and all the energy, humor, debate, and fun of usual Model UN was still there in force.  There’s a spirit Model UN has; a throbbing baseline that ties together all our little lives and all our tiny conversations into a greater network of geopolitical harmony, and, to a certain extent,online conferences can amplify the harmony stretching across physical space to link us between screens across the country.  I’m glad to run Model UN, and I’m glad to continue it through our little apocalypse, when some of us need it even more.

Have you opted for hybrid or fully remote?  How do you feel about going back to the classroom?

I opted for hybrid learning, and I’m disappointed we won’t be meeting that way for a couple more weeks.  There’s something you get in the classroom through face-to-face conversation that you just can’t achieve online - the microexpressions that flash across someone’s face, their gesticulations and use of space, or their slight changes in inflection, all too subtle to be picked up by a webcam or a mike.

If coronavirus was a person, how would you treat that person?

I probably wouldn’t say anything, but only because I’d be trying to figure out how I can simultaneously social distance and wear a mask as I aggressively cough at them.

Helina Franklin, Y1

How were your summer plans impacted by the coronavirus?

Almost every summer my family and I go to Canada to visit friends and family.  It isn’t too far, so we usually just drive or take the train.  This summer however, we couldn’t go.  We technically could have, but we didn’t want to endanger any of our older relatives since the US has been much worse in terms of virus cases and deaths.  Most of my relatives live in Canada, and I don’t really have any here in NYC. It was definitely hard to make the decision since we miss each other so much, but in a way I’m glad I won’t be increasing their risk of getting the virus.

Have you opted for hybrid or fully remote learning?  How do you feel about going back to the classroom?

I opted for hybrid (I might end up switching to fully remote, though).  I’m a bit nervous about getting back to the actual school building, because I know many of the systems have changed and I don’t know exactly what to expect.  I also feel a bit guilty, because learning in-person is more effective for me personally, but at the same time I don’t want to help spread the virus, or be part of the cause of a second wave.

If coronavirus was a person, how would you treat that person?

If coronavirus was a person, I think I would just want to sit down and talk with them.  So much of this sickness is yet to be known, and it seems as if new information presents itself every minute, some of which isn’t even true.  Afterward, I think I would call them an Uber or something into a parallel universe.  Or I would go there myself.  Anywhere that the virus isn’t would be fine.