By Brianna Lopez
Since the COVID-19 pandemic flared across the country, students have had to choose whether to attend Barry University in-person or online. Students that opted for an at-home learning environment have been tasked with adjusting their schedules to incorporate exercise, social hours, and study halls. Some students have found these adjustments easier than others.
Senior psychology major Claritza Macias, for example, appreciates remote learning because it holds her accountable for maintaining her class attendance. According to Macias, her laziness would often get the best of her when she didn’t feel like going to class. Now, she can be more academically productive from the comfort of her own bed.
Macias also likes that quarantine hasn’t changed too many aspects of her life.
“Too much change can be overwhelming,” said Macias.
Beyond school, Macias notes that her physical activity level hasn’t changed much since quarantine began, either. She admits that she was never very active, having only worked out three or four times in her life. However, the pandemic introduced her to yoga and stretching practices, which are now a part of her daily schedule.
Physical activity is also a part of senior finance student Adriel Solorzano’s daily schedule. Each morning, Solorzano wakes up at 7 a.m. to work out in his at-home gym, which he has equipped with dumbbells, weights, and a bench.
In response to the many jokes about quarantine decreasing the activity levels of many people, Solorzano says that people need to develop a certain mindset if they wish to be healthier and more active.
“It is literally putting a commitment and being disciplined to that commitment,” said Solorzano.
In addition to workouts, Solorzano has packed his daily routine with chores, homework, personal projects and Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) meetings to assure that he is constantly keeping busy.
Despite his full schedule, Solorzano notes that remote learning has taught him that online classes are not his strong suit.
“I hate it, honestly,” said Solorzano, adding that he finds it difficult to stay focused during class and really grasp the concepts he is learning. To him, nothing beats being physically present in class.
Joselie Laguerre, senior English major, disagrees. Laguerre likes that she no longer has to commute to Barry’s campus each day because it gives her time to add different things to her schedule.
One of the additions she’s made is exercising. Laguerre takes daily walks between her Zoom classes so that she’s not sitting down all day. For her, the key to staying active is music, which she says makes exercising more fun.
In addition to exercising, Laguerre has made a habit of eating and going to sleep at the same time each day so that she gets into a routine.
Overall, despite the “new normal” students have been forced into this semester, it seems Barry students are remaining productive in their own ways as they continue to adjust to online learning.