Mental health and school are two extremely important parts of life, and they often have a large effect on one another. The Hi-Life interviewed three students to get their opinions on how those two are related, and especially how they have impacted each other this year. 

“I think it [school] has a big impact, whether that’s good or bad because school is where and how we spend most of our time,” sophomore Alyssa Dennis said. 

Bailey Smith, a senior this year, agreed with Dennis; she agrees that school impacts students in several ways and can make things challenging because of the stress and responsibilities kids have outside of school. 

“I’ve definitely been struggling with my mental health because of many things, and I think that the change in school has played a part in that,” sophomore Chloe Mayes said. 

For some students, doing their school work at home is an opportunity, and has made their lives easier. For others, school work has taken a major toll on their mental and emotional wellbeing; the workload can be difficult to juggle. 

“There are pros and cons to both, but my opinion is that online is best when we stay on top of it,” Dennis said.

While the situation with COVID and how it has changed our school year is a big mess, there are some positives to it that the students made sure to include.

“The best thing about virtual learning is being able to just wake up and do your work; there aren’t many distractions keeping me from getting my work done,” Smith said.

Mayes is keeping a level head, trying to see the good and bad in the situation. She said that the workload is intense and she wishes it was easier to get information, but that she’s thankful for virtual learning when she’s having a rough day or needs a break.

“If I am having a bad mental health day, or even if I’m physically not doing well, it is easier to stay caught up with school and not fall behind,” Mayes said.

However, sometimes that amount of freedom does more harm than good. A lot of students are struggling with having the motivation to tune into class and get their work done without a set schedule.

“My biggest challenge has been getting behind in classes and having to catch up. But I also struggle with the lack of variation that comes with online learning,” Dennis said.

Virtual learning has been a very controversial and ever-changing topic. Despite the unpleasant parts of online school, all three students who were interviewed expressed multiple things about virtual learning that has benefited them.

“I feel like if everyone could get used to virtual and the teachers could figure out a balance of work for us to do, it isn’t that bad,” Smith said. 

Lee’s Summit has been buzzing with talk about an anticipated possible second lockdown. Most students have never experienced what the world has been going through lately, so Hilife asked how the last quarantine impacted them.

“In a way, being socially isolated was hard, but at the same time, it allowed me to find myself in a sense, without the influence of others. It showed me that I need to show more gratitude and be thankful for small things, like simply walking around in public and breathing in fresh air,” Mayes said.

The constant debate between virtual learning and going back to school seems like it will go on for a while, but students are challenged to find the silver lining. The students featured in this article have their individual struggles, but they all have one thing in common; they are deciding to focus on the positives.