After a first semester unlike any other, students have begun to transition into the second portion of the year. With COVID still looming over the school, some things have looked a little different this year. New classes are beginning, providing students with a much-needed change in schedules that have remained the same for the past several months. This year students have been able to choose between two different learning methods. Some students have opted to continue with the hybrid model for school, changing their schedule from at home to in-person learning weekly, while others elected to remain at home, distance learning until the pandemic is over. While both platforms are different in a variety of ways, they both provide advantages to those who use them and make the beginning of the second semester look a little different for everyone. 

To start off the new semester, many students elected to use the hybrid learning platform to make the transition between classes run a little smoother for themselves. Most students using this learning platform like being able to have easy access to their teachers and classmates for better communication. Many also find it much easier to be productive in a school environment. Ashley Johnson, a senior this year at Cannon Falls High School, explained that her first semester experiences made her decide to continue with the hybrid model: “I find it easier to get schoolwork done and to stay focused. I also like to see friends and different people every day.” She also felt that the change going into the second semester was a relatively simple one for her, stating that all her classes seem to be fairly straightforward. Although some students prefer the hybrid method, others felt that the full-time distance learning option was the best way to go for the second half of the year. 

At the semester switch, many students opted to stay out of school and to begin the second half of the year as full-time distance learners. First semester, the distance learning platform worked very well for some students, providing them with a platform to complete the school year in a safe and timely manner. Beth Barrett, a junior at Cannon Falls High School, is one of many students opting for the full-time distance learning option this semester, stating that the full-time distance route was best for her style of learning. “I learn better at home and like moving at my own pace,” Barrett stated. She also explained that her switch into the new semester and new classes went very well, expressing that she thought the transition was actually less difficult online. She said, “It was less stressful not having to run around making sure I was in the right place.” The full-time distance learning plan helped many students ease into their second semester of learning, without needing to worry about a variety of things like where the classroom they needed to get to was located. 

Even though this school year has been less than ideal for many students at school, they have still managed to make the best out of their abnormal circumstances. Now that teachers and students have gotten the hang of the hybrid learning environment and figured out how things run in class, the process of switching into the second semester has been much easier than the beginning of year school-shock many students experienced. No matter how the students are starting their second half of the year, they are looking forward to a great second semester in a school year that has been anything but average.