Mental health is just as important as physical health and almost any student can abide by that, especially under the circumstances of online learning.

There is no chance to believe that someone was prepared for this pandemic, not even the Simpsons who have predicted many major events. 

This situation was one that was never seen before in a 21st century atmosphere. 

Students, parents, teachers, everyone is exhausted and has been personal victims of the pandemic fatigue. 

However, the one year anniversary mark of this taking over our lives and schools going virtual, has already been met in mid-March.

For the first few months (April and May 2021) of the pandemic, Loretto and many other schools in the city did online school with just meeting a couple of times a week and assigning things and having them turned in by the end of the day. 

That was my personal favorite time of this entire year, life was good even when it wasn’t. 

However that was barely figuring out how to use Zoom correctly and having assignments turned in. 

Fast forward to a couple of months and we are in the first semester of the new school year of 2020-2021. 

That semester can only be defined, personally, as a detonation. 

Meaning that I was on the verge of explosion. 

I didn’t know what stress was until last Fall semester and it wasn’t even because of the workload, it was genuinely my lack of motivation. 

We have always had an intense workload at Loretto Academy, but never under these circumstances. 

After the nearness of my breaking point I took a mental health break, a personal one. 

I disconnected myself from everyone and everything, only doing the assignments I absolutely needed to do.

My grades suffered at the cost of my mental health improving. 

That said a lot.

According to Demographics by Degree Sought 20% of college students say their mental health has “significantly worsened” under Covid-19. 

Another contributing factor to this increase of depression is the money factor. 

Thousands of jobs have been lost because of the pandemic. 

Due to Covid-19, 48% of college students have experienced a financial setback. 

What many schools have done is to take off the workload of the students and of the teachers as well. 

At the end of the day the students are still learning, and their way of putting it to practice is done in school. 

That way there is no need of still being on your computers deteriorating your eyesight. 

Other people argue that no homework is beneficial in the long term for the student.

Julie Fontaine, a Quebec researcher and president of the teachers association claims that no homework is not good however the amount of homework has to be minimized. 

Fontaine argues that homework should focus on quality rather than quantity and should engage the student. 

Junior Kianna Verdugo said, “The situation is a lot more strenuous and it makes me feel a lot more drained because there is this idea that because we are at home we need to be kept busy.” 

Verdugo rated her mental health a seven out of 10 (being the worst). 

Verdugo said, “ A 7 from all the stress from school and the uncertainty of the pandemic. There are just a lot of things going on.” 

Although the stress of being a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior is different, many students feel similarly in regards to mental health. 

Sophomore Elisa Camacho said, “School has worsened my mental health. It’s definitely harder to succeed in school when it’s online. I don’t feel the same completing my work. It’s hard to retain all the information and I don’t study the same way I used too. I finish the day more tired than when we used to go to school physical.

Camacho said, “Mental health is an important issue because it affects how we go about our days. It affects all we do so it’s important to be mentally healthy to feel happy and make your days more positive and do the things you want.”

Student’s under this stress environment and pandemic fatigue are not having a beneficial school year. 

That is why schools have to hear the voices of the students and create change.