Going to school is one of the most precious and memorable stages in our lives.

Through
this, we encounter lots of people who later become part of our journey for the rest of time – true
friends. It also allows us to experience various things that leave indelible marks in our hearts. In
these institutions, we earn new knowledge and wisdom which are helpful in our decision-making
and future. Most importantly, it is a gift of opportunity that we should value since not everyone
has the privilege to enroll and study. But today, we students tend to miss those things. Due to the
pandemic, everything became limited to the point that we lose even its ultimate essence –
learning. Indeed, despite the current situation of our country, the government and private
institutions have managed to continue offering education to us. However, with the absence of the
mentioned points above, can we call their efforts worth it? The so-called “educational space”
became something that prioritizes the completion of requirements over learning. The place for
treasurable experiences became a source of severe psychological stress. What else could they
offer? Death?
          From my point of view, an academic freeze should not be one of our options because as a
student, it will be more difficult for me to catch up with the lessons in the future since I might
have forgotten several things already by that time. On the other hand, if studying in this kind of
setup is no different and will just push me to do things that will not contribute to my growth, it
would be best to implement it. If it is uneasy or impossible for teachers and authorities to offer
almost the same quality of education as that of face-to-face, it would not be wrong to stop for a
moment while thinking of ways to solve this issue. Yes, I do appreciate their endeavor, but it
makes no sense because effective learning is not achieved. What students do in the present is just
read the materials provided by teachers for them to answer their quizzes or assessments but not
to gain knowledge. They only do their tasks for the sake of complying and passing the course.
Hence, it seems like we are just wasting our time, efforts, and money here.
              Second and last point, we are living in different circumstances. Some of us have the
softest bed and largest flat-screen television while others are just dwelling in small houses with
old-modeled appliances. Some live in subdivisions that have quieter environments compared to
houses built near highways but some are not. Some are full-time students whereas others work to
put food on their table. And some have fast internet connections while others do not. The thing is
if we truly want to pursue this online schooling, we should at least be considerate of one another.
Think of activities that are doable wherever the students are. If some did not meet the deadline of
a certain activity, give them a chance to submit while being fair with others. Now is not the right
time for teachers to prove their strictness to students and be terror. Allow them to enjoy. This
pandemic has already brought more than enough stress to everyone and there are even people
who did not die because of the virus but because of pressure and their situation. Furthermore, this
appeal does not just apply to us students but to teachers as well. I know that they are pressured
too because of the tasks that they need to accomplish. They have lost the happiness that their
passion once brought to them. That is why institutions should not be too tight when it comes to
deadlines. Aside from being teachers, these people have other roles as well. Some of them have
parents to take care of and some of them have children to monitor.
               To make this long story short, our government should be wise in making decisions,
especially in this time of the pandemic. It is not bad to prove to other countries that we are also
capable of doing what they can but let us make sure first that we really can do it. Let us use our
limited resources efficiently. Besides, we are not in competition. If we cannot afford to offer
quality education through online classes, then it means we should postpone this for the meantime
rather than waste money. Yet, if we are determined to pursue it, like what I have said earlier, let
us always consider our differences in terms of social status, problems, and location while
facilitating learning. With these, the stress and burden that all of us feel will be lessened.
Ultimately, the educational environment will be healthy for both students and teachers.