The best word to describe this week would be unimaginable. This week the University of North Carolina began a new way of learning. We transitioned from the traditional person to person teaching to a virtual form of teaching with no physical contact. It’s insane to think that we left our school for spring break with the mindset that we would be back to continue the home stretch of our freshman year, but in reality, we come back to something completely different.
This week was opening week for this new way of learning. Instructors across UNC and the country began their first week of virtual teaching. Which was for every student and teacher at the very least an adjustment. Some classes began a little later than usual, assignments that were once due at an earlier time were extended, recorded lectures were posted and the wifi of many individuals was put to the test.
For our English 105 class, it was similar. On Tuesday, our class consisted of an overall check-in. We went over the app zoom that we would be using for the rest of the semester. We then spoke about the UP2 assignment and how we had to adjust our presentations since we could no longer do it in person. Furthermore, we touched base on everyone’s life with this pandemic occurring. Then we moved on to speak on how we would begin on UP3 the following class and it was important to pick a story that we would want to do our paper on. The best way to describe this day would be like starting a new school and your first day there. Being unfamiliar with how everything works, touching base with everyone, having awkward moments of silence, and hearing about all the work you may or may not have forgotten you had during your extended spring break.
Moreover, Thursday in class we went over our video assignment for UP2 that was due on Tuesday night and moved on to talking about unit 3 an intro to writing in the Humanities. We got to split up into our groups and had a set of questions we had to fill out. After we found the information we needed, we then proceeded to go over them as a whole class with members from each group presenting them. After that, we were presented with a presentation on how to close read a text and ended the class with any lingering questions.
An eventful and semi-stressful opening week for many. But, hopefully, one we can adjust to and learn with. This new way of learning is one I don’t think anyone imagined would occur but it has and the only thing we can do is to keep moving forward and hope for the best.
