I recently took the opportunity to come back to school in-person for hybrid two days a week instead of being fully remote. Being a hybrid student has given me the chance to reconnect with friends and teachers and enjoy some of the moments that couldn’t happen virtually.

Before starting hybrid school a few weeks ago, sometimes I felt like I was in an “online school bubble”. The only people I would interact with were my family and occasionally close friends. I really missed meeting new people and interacting with others who I might not be as close with, but still loved to check in with every day.

Little things like the side conversations you would have with somebody in class seemed to be missing in the virtual world. Online school seemed to give little-to-no chance for that to happen unless you want to talk to one person in front of the entire class.

I missed the in person moments of shared excitement I used to see my classmates have in years past. In the six months of fully virtual school, I had very few people I could share exciting moments like college acceptances. To me, it felt random to tell someone you haven’t talked to in a year or a teacher you’ve only ever seen online.

Hybrid school gives me more of an opportunity to have those connections.

Walking through the breezeway, I see former classmates and teachers who I haven’t seen in over a year.

I have gotten to meet new friends and tutor in person through peer tutoring.

My teachers and new classmates have gotten to see and get to know me rather than seeing my black box on zoom while the teacher speaks.

I also like how going in-person has the same grading system expectations as being remote, unlike a common misconception that school would be harder in person if the guidelines from regular school last year applied to in-person students.

And if something seems wrong or I don’t feel safe going in-person, I like that I have the option to easily switch back to remote.

I have worried about the greater risk of exposure while going to school in person. Especially with reported cases at the other county high schools.

Although, from what I’ve experienced, going to school in-person seems safe. I have never seen anyone refuse to wear their mask or wear their mask incorrectly. AHS also takes extra precautions to keep us safe by having the desks sanitized in between classes and having an air filter in every room.

Although I can’t watch Netflix in my bed between classes anymore, I do enjoy going school in-person to get to interact with others on a more personal level and have the ability to make more memories in the building before I graduate.