Not too long ago almost 90% of Mason students decided to return to school four days a week. While we have gotten used to seeing almost everyone in the hallways, there are a few faces missing from the crowd: the students that decided to go full virtual. Sophomore Adelaide Langford is one person who chose to stay home during these unpredictable times. The Lasso sat down with Langford to find out what a fully virtual school life is like for some students at Mason.

Why did you decide to do full virtual?

I decided to go fully virtual because I get my work done faster when there are less distractions around me to keep me from working efficiently. I also noticed that when I was at school there wasn’t as much time during the day to complete work because when everyone gets a break they spend it hanging out. Personally, I prefer getting my work done during school hours so that I can have my afternoons and weekends free to have fun.

What do you like about doing full virtual? What kind of things do you like doing in your breaks?

I like being able to do my classes outside especially since the weather is nice. In previous years, I was always so sad that I was sitting in a classroom not being able to enjoy the beautiful spring weather. However, with online school this year I am getting to enjoy it which is really nice. 

I try to complete any homework that I have, but if I don’t have any I will go outside or prepare my next meal.

Do your teachers do a good job helping you and other students who are also online?

It’s a mixed bag. Some teachers completely neglect the online students whereas others make us feel like we are a part of the class. To be honest, I don’t mind my teachers not engaging as much with the online students just because I am more of a listener and prefer not being part of the class discussion. 

What don’t you like about doing full virtual?

There’s not really a lot that I don’t like about being fully virtual but not seeing my friends can be a bummer. It doesn’t affect me that much though because we hang out at least once every week.

Did your siblings make this decision with you? How did your family factor in?

My family had nothing to do with my decision. My younger brother chose to do fully in person because that is what best fits his learning style. He needs more monitoring to make sure he stays on task and enjoys the social aspects of school a lot more than I do. My parents trusted me and my brother to choose the option that would best fit our learning types and they had no input on what we decided to do.