Time flew by really quickly. Many months ago, our class meetings started off with, “I can’t hear you,” or “I can’t see you.” Now, here we are where we’re all accustomed to online video conferencing calls.

As we slowly got used to online meetings every day, we soon realized how tiring they are, and eventually, we learned to detest them.

Catch-Up Day was introduced to us last semester, and many students, including myself, were very happy about it. Catch-Up Day is a day in which students have the opportunity to submit a missing assignment or revise an assignment for a higher grade. Teachers notify students about which assignments can be submitted that day and students must complete an attendance check-in on Google Classroom for either the Blue or Gold day. The highlight of that day is having no online meetings for students or teachers–unless it is needed for some students who have Advanced Placement classes.

School at home during COVID-19 means that we are spending a lot of time on video calls like Zoom, Teams, or Google meetings and it has been affecting all of us. Seeing our rapid transformation to online school is very remarkable, but we come across a larger issue, Zoom fatigue.

Everyone learns in a different way and everyone has their own pace. Many of my peers and I experience increased fatigue, headaches, lack of motivation, procrastination, unproductive time management. Student’s social anxiety has increased from taking online classes, mostly because of the pressure of looking presentable or who they get as their partner in a breakout room. Many students tend to be hyper-aware of their appearance on camera and feel self-conscious about how they look on screen.

It’s very frustrating when our Chromebook goes through a technological issue that can lead to anxiety and stress for many students. It’s scary to know you might be late to class, unable to turn in homework or assignments, or unable to participate in chat for participation due to the lag.

Staring at our screens for a long period of time can lead to distraction or headaches. Many students struggle to maintain their eating patterns or their sleeping schedules. It’s hard to eat when you’re focused on a task online, which can be difficult to understand if you’re truly hungry or you’re just bored and want a break.

Those who struggle with their sleeping schedule force themselves to wake up later or earlier to attend classes, and this can change their sleeping pattern. Online classes have disrupted our learning habits and the mental and physical health of many students.

Catch-Up Days are helpful to those who are behind with their assignments. It could also be beneficial to those who care for themselves during that day. We should have more Catch-Up Days, even if it’s a day off, because it reduces a bit of our anxiety, some of the stress, and the inevitable self-consciousness for many students.