Remote learning is difficult, isolating and often dull. 3 weeks in, however, and I have come to enjoy some of the perks. You get to wear pajamas to school every day, eat in class, and sleep in quite literally to the last minute. And in case you need more to be convinced, here are more reasons:
-
You can take your classes from anywhere… literally anywhere. Getting bored of being trapped by the same four walls every day? The very ones that you sleep between, eat between, watch Netflix between, attend every club meeting between, workout between and summon up the courage to unmute yourself in class between? No problem! Simply pick up your laptop and relocate. As long as you have some kind of WIFI or hotspot, and decent audio- you’re good to go. As for the background of wherever you go… well that leads me to the second perk.
-
You can apply a virtual background and nobody will ever know where you are. Not only does this help to hide the bed you haven’t made, the pile of clothes you haven’t dealt with, or the intrusive roommate that repeatedly storms into your bedroom... But it also means you can disguise your location and, as I said, take your classes from anywhere.
-
You can attend two things at once. Using a combination of subtle lip movement and camera angles, you can simultaneously be on Zoom on one device, and BlueJeans on another. This is especially helpful for those involved with clubs that require lengthy board meetings. Efficiency is key.
-
You never need an umbrella! Gone are the days of forgotten umbrellas and soaked backpacks, for remote learning ensures that you simply do not need to venture into unpleasant weather conditions!
-
On a similar note, you do not arrive at your classes dripping in sweat. The first 3 weeks of classes can be brutal in that late August, early September heat... and the trek from Huntsman down to DRL is more than enough to give you that glazed donut appearance. Thanks to Zoom, nobody needs to know what temperature it is where you are.
-
Every day is “bring your pet, siblings or roommate to school” day! Whether you like it or not. Avoiding having intrusive quaranteammates barge into your bedroom is almost impossible, but when you think about it, it is also extremely advantageous. You no longer need to go into depth explaining your teachers or classmates to your friends or family, you can simply show them. More importantly, the dog or cat that you miss so much during the semester can now join you in class. I truly believe a dog could make even my six hour studio class far more doable.
-
Dress codes have been eliminated. You are able to be adorned in whatever attire you so wish now that nobody can see ¾ of you. If you choose to wake up at 11:59am for your 12pm recitation, go for it, pajamas are okay. If you are draped in your great grandmother's hand me downs, own it, for nobody will ever know. If you feel uncomfortable during class and would prefer sweatpants to the jeans you thought you would try out, you can switch out mid class (with some subtle and careful maneuvering) without anybody batting an eyelash. As long as you are not stark naked in class, pretty much anything goes on Zoom!
-
And lastly, if nothing else, then at least you can take all of your classes pass/fail.
Whether you are at home, staying with a friend or relative, off-campus or in an undisclosed location (thank you, virtual backgrounds), there are perks to this strange new way of life. And although it doesn’t seem like it, it won’t last forever, so soak up those sleep-in’s and let the dog make an appearance on Zoom.
