(soothing music) - Hey what's up Myles Bess here.

Host of above the noise, back in my room because the pandemic is still pandemicking.

Which means that, we've all had to deal with the headache of doing things virtually.

And if you don't know what I mean, here's a look at an actual meeting I had about this very episode.

All right, everybody- (baby cries) All right, everybody.

So we have our next episode coming out on distance learning.

We should take this time to kind of think our way through the thumbnails and the titles which- (group chattering) - I have an idea.

Oh shoot.

Do guys know how to get the camera back.

(chattering continues) I have no idea - I don't even have words for that (chuckles) but at least I'm getting paid right?

What about the students?

They're all doing some version of virtual learning and I wonder how that's going for them.

- I am not motivated.

- Really tired.

- Very difficult.

- I really don't like distance learning.

- Overall I don't like.

- It kind of sucks.

- I feel you, like we've taken away the few things that make school fun.

Hanging out with your homies, grabbing lunch with 'em, extracurricular activities, not being in the house.

And we've replaced it with being in front of a screen for most of the day.

(monotonous music) But on the flip side, I do know that high school can be rough.

I mean I know that for me, there were days where it was really hard to go.

Whether it was homework, school gossip, anxiety a test I probably didn't study for.

And I know I'm not alone feeling that.

So it got me wondering, is there an upside to distance learning?

All right, get this.

There's just over 56 million K through 12 students here in the US and as of March of 2020, a majority of 'em have been doing some version of virtual learning.

So whether that's completely remote or a hybrid where some classes are in person, it's likely to continue for the rest of the academic year.

The pandemic's taking a toll on everyone's mental health.

Okay what shoes do I wanna wear to the couch today.

Which shoe?

Ah (indistinct) right here, (pats shoes) perfect.

(cruches food) (brushes shoe) (yawns) How can you be expected to stay productive and connected when family members might be losing jobs or loved ones getting sick or being evicted or just not having good wifi.

All that's enough for its own episode.

And that still doesn't factor in classwork and homework.

All right so here's some students that I've talked to, talking about the struggles of virtual learning.

Let's see if y'all can relate to this.

- A lot of students aren't getting their work done simply because it's just so easy to be distracted at home.

- I hate just the ton of homework that teachers give.

- So I started digging and I found countless reports suggesting that students are failing at a higher rate than before the pandemic, which isn't that surprising.

I've talked numerous times about how I wasn't the best student, but if you made me do my classwork and my homework in my bedroom my grades would have been terrible, just terrible.

And all this can also affect our mental health.

COVID has radically changed how students are being schooled and there hasn't really been any time to process it.

I found one study that surveyed 3300 young people.

And it said that most had feelings of unhappiness and depression in recent months, while also saying they didn't feel connected to their classmates or their teachers.

Now look, I get it.

I can only be so connected to someone via screen.

I miss my friends and I miss my coworkers.

I miss grabbing a bite to eat.

I'm hanging out.

I miss just being in their presence.

And then also when I think about school, you have the routine right?

Of actually going there, you have that regimen.

I'm at a point right now where it's like I have to convince myself to wear pants that aren't pajamas.

It's cold But thinking about that, it's like the daily grind of school and that routine, it can be a lot.

It can all be heavy on someone.

So I know that online can't be that bad, right.

All right so I talked to some students and I found out that virtual learning actually does have some benefits.

- I like how I don't have to be in a desk all day.

I like how I can just move around my house and I don't have to be tied down to one spot.

- I like how it gives us opportunities to really use our time and take what we need to learn.

- What I like about it is that I don't have to be in school all day.

I could just stay home, relax a little bit.

- Right, I'm all for chilling, I love to relax.

(cheerful music) Not only that but distance learning can help students that deal with anxiety as they don't have to deal with the drama of school and just the distractions that it can bring.

You know not having to make a presentation in front of classmates or just the sensory overload that comes from having to go into the hallway after the bell rings.

And you gotta bump shoulders with students running from class to class.

And there were students that I spoke to that even said that they like having their cameras off when they do their schoolwork or where they're in class.

They say it works better for them.

And you know, there's days where I'm in a full body hoodie or I'm still in my bed.

(chuckles) And it doesn't mean that I'm not paying attention or that I'm not engaged.

It just means that I'm comfortable and it's helpful for me to do my work.

And there's also studies that show that later start times, just not having to get up and be in class at eight in the morning can benefit students overall mental and physical health.

Pssst we did an episode on that, check it out.

Having access to teachers and lessons, plus the added benefit of WiFi where you can work anywhere.

And when I say anywhere, I'm talking like in the house anywhere in your house, your bedroom your living room, your kitchen, all those places.

(chuckles) And you can work at your own pace.

Okay, so there are some positives right, now look, I'm not trying to lecture you.

(enlightening music) But there's some things that I've been doing that it worked for me that match up with what some of the students have been saying.

And with some of the research I found one thing that I've been doing is journaling.

I've been writing down how I feel, not every day but I try to do it most days just cause, you know there's so much going on.

It's like, I need a place to put my feelings.

Another thing, you know, some of the students were saying they like that they can just relax and not have to be in a classroom.

Yeah because I'm not at my desk or at a cubicle at work.

I could get up and go for a walk around my neighborhood which has been pretty cool.

Now these are small things but they've helped me maintain some type of routine to get my work done and to just be okay during these times.

Now we also did a video where we offer tips on how to cope during the pandemic.

If you want to learn more about those, check it out.

But it makes me wonder what stuff will we keep?

When we can go back to in-class and going back to the office.

- I hope teachers understand that we're still... just because we're back in person.

We're still going through some struggles right now with how everything is panning out.

So a little bit of extra time to do work - I feel we need breaks longer than the five minutes that it takes us to get to class.

'Cause I don't know, it just feels like it's a good brain break to get out and do something other than just continuously doing school all day.

- But how do you feel?

Are there things that from your virtual learning and online learning experience that you'd wanna carry over when you go back to the in-person classroom learning?

As always I'm your host Myles Bess.

Peace out.