WEB EXCLUSIVE Students finish a semester’s worth of classes in four weeks, and will start two new classes tomorrow. 

Due to shelter-in-place, the new online schedule consists of 20 class periods in a span of four weeks, with 150 minute Zoom meetings. Some students enjoy the condensed schedule and being able to focus on two classes at a time. 

“I really enjoyed the schedule and I thought it was nice being able to focus on two classes,” sophomore Isabella Alarcon said. “Without having to worry about my grades in the other classes, I can really focus on the two classes that I had which I felt boosted my grades a lot.” 

Though the online schedule is helpful for some students to focus on only two subject areas at a time, it proves to be challenging for others because of the fast pace and prolonged time on Zoom, according to freshman Amelia Alton.  

“I like the schedule but I also find it more stressful because you’re learning a bunch of days worth of stuff in one day,” Alton said. “You have to be always completely paying a lot of attention to everything.”

The first semester was also difficult for some teachers who had to plan a semester’s worth of tests, teaching and homework in 20 days, according to IB English teacher Julia Arce. 

“It felt like I had to write a novel in the form of a haiku,” Arce said. “It felt like things were moving super fast and very slow, but I was very impressed with my IB juniors.” 

This week, students had their final tests and projects and will receive their final grades for the class via email. 

“We have tests more often because the class is accelerated,” Alton said. “The class moves a lot faster and next session I would start studying earlier.”

Students and teachers had a chance to adapt to the new schedule, and can learn from past mistakes and successes to help them in the next session.

“I will try to pay attention more because it was really hard for me to pay attention for the whole two and a half hours of school,” Alacorn said. “Next session I only have history and a free, so it’s gonna be a lot easier for me to stay focused.”