We are already in the third week of school at the University, and since the pandemic, campus has never been more engaging. But as we return to the classrooms, we are transitioning from online to in-person classes — a drastic adjustment.

According to USA Today, the average student could have lost five to nine months of learning by this last June, with students of color deprived more than that.

Moreover, many impoverished students struggled to obtain access to high-speed internet and technology. This is not an ideal way to conduct class as everybody is accustomed to the traditional classroom setting like sitting down at a desk, talking to friends across from you and having an instructor in front of you.

According to Insider Higher Ed, two-thirds of first-year students struggled with online school last year. With an immense transition last year, freshmen were at a vast disadvantage as some did not know how to access school websites.

With in-person classes restored, people should be able to work without any distractions.

We have in-person classes once again, which signifies that you do not need a computer to visit a class; no longer do you have to send multiple emails to professors on how to do homework as you could direct them the questions after class.

Additionally, we should be happy we get to see our instructors physically in front of us since there were those not comfortable observing them through a screen.

Furthermore, we now cannot “turn off” our “camera,” and instead, we must be palpably present for lectures.

When either living with your family or roommates, there are bound to be some unnecessary distractions or audio you would rather your classmates not perceive. For in-person classes, however, you do not have to worry about theoretical “others” on nonexistent screens — you will be in class with a mask on enjoying fellow visible presences.

We have more opportunities than we had last year: This is the first time some of us have had in-person classes in higher education.

Nobody should take in-person classes because it could easily be taken away either from COVID-19 or slipped away due to losing your collegiate opportunity from overwhelming distractions. Hopefully, we can finish the school year with in-person classes focused on pursuing superb academics — distraction-free.

Axel is a sophomore in LAS.

[email protected]