As online classes have begun and the phrase “extended online school” has been drilled into our brains, we may forget how fortunate we are to have this online school experience.

Although going to school for seven hours a day is a great way to keep up our social lives while also being forced to learn, the reality is that sometimes the day ends up going by extremely fast. By the time it’s 2:40, we go on to our nightly activities, which include even more school work. This gives us little time to focus on our hobbies and other personal pursuits. So, the chance to take online classes, and, for the most part, create our own schedule is something we can all be taking advantage of.

Some students may find not being taught in-person to be challenging, and although it may be more difficult to learn from an online video than a hands-on lesson or project in class, the reality is that this is a good opportunity for students to figure out how they can learn from home. If, in the future, they have to work from home or take classes online for college, this gives students an idea of what it’s like so they can recognize what works for them and what doesn’t.

Not only does taking online classes give students the tools to figure out how they can learn best from home, but it has also given us the time to do other activities that we otherwise may not have been able to do. Students can use the extra time that they’re not physically at school to read for pleasure, cook meals, paint, sleep in, and the list goes on and on.

It also pushes students to work on their time management. There is no one telling us to do work right this minute, there are no forty-minute classes where we have to listen to a lecture the entire time, and there is no bell announcing that it’s time to switch classes. The management of our time is all up to us.

Along with time management, extended online school teaches students to hold themselves accountable for the work they are doing. With no teachers watching us while we do our work or take a test, it is our job to take the initiative and be honest with our work. Having all of our teachers’ trust is something students should be grateful for and see as something they should keep.

Extended online school pushes students to figure out a schedule that works best for them to complete their given tasks. It helps students appreciate the extra time they have to do fun activities if they finish their work early, or to see how when they procrastinate they may have more than a seven-hour online school day ahead of them. And, with our world already shifting towards online work, this may be a glimpse into the futures of students’ lives down the line.