Learning on a Curve

 Online education has become the go-to method of receiving an education during the pandemic. I'm currently taking 6 courses this semester (14 credit hours), and only 1 one of the 6 courses are in person. Not only that, but the one in-person class I have is an organic chemistry lab that meets once every other week. That means that I stay inside my dorm the majority of the time, where there are many distractions (including my roommates, social media, etc.). I don't think that online learning has created an equal opportunity for everyone because everyone is in different situations. While many of the students that attend UK live in dorms, some of the students living off-campus or at home may be going through hardships at times such as an unstable internet connection or a home environment that limits their ability to get schoolwork done. Also, many students have jobs, including myself, which can be hard to deal with on top of college courses (due to some students not being able to take tests at the specific time range that professors give, or not being able to complete certain assignments before the due date). Not only is everyone in different situations, but online learning has proved it hard to get the proper help needed to pass a class. It is harder to study with people from class because you don't know anyone taking the same classes and Willy T. (the perfect study spot, in my opinion) is only open for a limited amount of time now, instead of for 24 hours, like it has been in the past. It's harder to get away from distractions while you're pretty much stuck in one place. For example, I've had to complete exams online, and despite telling my roommates I had an exam to complete, they were still loud and talking as if I wasn't taking an exam, which made it harder for me to concentrate on the exam I was taking.

I do believe there should be a hardship clause for students impacted by COVID to an extent where they may fail coursework. I believe it should be extended to everyone, frankly, because how can you tell who was impacted more or less by COVID? What would be the criteria required to evaluate what situations are better or worse? It's almost impossible to tell who is impacted more or who isn't. A program can't possibly be implemented fairly, but I think if everyone was given the option to change their classes to pass/fail (which could be accepted the same way as a regular grade would), it would help many students get through the semester without having so many things to worry about during this pandemic.

Taking into account everything that COVID has affected, I think in terms of the job market, I feel like I will be less competitive just because it's harder to find jobs, some companies aren't hiring or they're taking months to get back to people who want the jobs. I also feel like it'll be harder to really determine if you'll be safe during the pandemic if you've never worked at the place you're applying to. Some interviews may end up being conducted online instead of in-person, so it may be more difficult to assess the work environment and see if it's the right fit for you.