Aurora: “I don’t think this situation has penalized us students so much”

Dear School,

It has been a long time since our first meeting. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons that you will undoubtedly know, the events of the last period did not allow us to experience you as usual. Actually, between us, I don’t think this situation has penalized us students as much as many believe.

You have always been a place of teaching and learning, but not only. You represent the possibility of expressing and sharing ourselves, therefore of relating to children or, in my case, children of our same age.

In short words, you are a fundamental constant in the life of every student, which, however, was suddenly turned upside down. In fact, our daily lessons have been taking place online for a few months now. On the other hand, like anything, distance learning has its negative and positive aspects.

First, several pupils have encountered network problems and unstable connections, or do not have a PC available to carry out the video lessons. To tell the truth, I can say that several surveys have been done to understand how many families have such difficulties and, consequently, a lot of aids and supports have been introduced. Secondly, I recognize the possible discomfort experienced by professors who are not very familiar with these new technologies who, from one day to the next, find themselves having to teach in this new way.

However, I believe that at this moment distance learning is the best solution from an emotional point of view. All of us are extremely vulnerable as we are fighting against an invisible enemy that we cannot see, touch or hear. It is a time of great unease and worry. Unfortunately, I also speak from personal experience because I know how emotionally difficult it is, for example, to wait for the outcome of a tampon, especially when it comes to grandparents or fragile people, dear to us. Currently, if we were to go back to school, I believe that this psychological condition could worsen: the anguish of being forced to take a bus that is too full, the distance from classmates and teachers, masks, disinfectants, the interval sitting at the own bench… In short, from my point of view, too many further worries that could very well be avoided.

I miss spending mornings with my classmates, I miss their looks and their laughter. I don’t know when we will see each other again, dear School, but I hope it can happen when the situation allows it, in the maximum safety for each of us. Every year you teach me something new and useful, but in these particular months I would like you to teach me to open my mind, to adapt to changes and above all to solve problems, a fundamental skill in the life of each of us.

I hope to see you again as soon as possible, in the meantime I am satisfied with the online lessons and I trust in people’s common sense.

See you soon,

Aurora Pastori (4 E Salvatore Quasimodo Linguistic High School of Magenta)

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