With students returning to school this semester, many don’t know what is quite different compared to online. There is a system on how students are returning to in person classes. There are 3 different cohorts in which certain people return–unless you are virtual only. The cohort that is going back to school returns for a week, the other two are online only during that week. This continues in a cycle rotation between all of the cohorts. The cohorts are A, B, C or 1, 2, 3. 

First off, class is longer in person. With being online you mainly are only on the meet for the virtual time. Some stay over time or the whole period. But in person once the Meet ends, you continue to stay in the classroom until the whole class period is considered to be done. During the extra time you have online; you might be required to do schoolwork for that class or others, kind of like a study hall. Some teachers might let you have free reign and do whatever you want as long as you stay in your respective area/seat. 

Something else that’s different is lunch. Although I myself have not been back to school just yet, there’s something  I’ve heard regarding lunch.  You can eat in the cafeteria or courtyard while socially-distanced. Everyone is facing the same direction to take precautions from the spread of COVID. 

Along with returning to school, there are also more safety precautions. With being in the classroom, you’re socially distancing with desks separating students. You bring your laptop to school so you can attend the Meet instead of a regular class. If you can leave campus and do so, when you come back you have to get another health screening to reconfirm you are clear. Handwashing happens more frequently in person. You wash your hands after touching a shared object to kill any germs you may get due to it. 

There’s more cleaning done throughout the day than before. Classrooms get disinfected between classes and at the end of each day. Restrooms now get cleaned every four  hours to kill the spread of germs; they also get cleaned again at the end of the school day. If students eat in the cafeteria, Child Nutrition Services come and clean the seats and tables before and after every meal. If students eat in their classrooms, students and teachers are required to clean up after themselves.

Going back to school after being online for such a long time may take some getting used to. That’s completely normal after everything that’s happened throughout a year time span. With this article, I hope that going back to school can be easier. There is quite a difference between online and in person, but that’s to be expected.