Alumni Spotlight: Zoom-ing Through College: taking classes during the COVID-19 pandemic

By Kendall Kohler, ’18

It’s hard to believe that only four years ago I was finishing up my time at Delone Catholic High School. I was still packing my textbooks into a thin, blue locker, seeing the people I grew up with every day, but above all, attending in -person classes. I knew my life would soon change, but what I did not know was how different things would be four years later. 

I will be graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in May with a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences.  The first three years at Pitt were the typical college experience, attending classes through the week, and spending the weekends exploring the city with friends. However, the last year and a half have been anything but normal. 


When COVID-19 cases in the United States first began to rise in March 2020, I was back home for spring break. Pitt announced that classes would be postponed for another week, but I was certain they would return soon enough. Although I did move back into my apartment in Pittsburgh and classes began, they were, and continue to be, conducted remotely. 


“Attending class” during the COVID-19 pandemic largely consists of dragging myself to my desk for the day, opening my laptop to a glowing screen, and moving my mouse to launch Zoom. A grid of tiny boxes fills the screen, some filled in with the faces of classmates, while others simply display a name. It is hard to believe that I will finish my undergraduate courses without ever meeting some of my classmates. 


To put it bluntly, Zoom classes are getting old. Staying engaged is difficult, as I was used to interactive classes with demonstrations and discussions. While many professors try their best to make it possible to collaborate, students can turn off their camera and mute themselves with the click of a button. 


Awkward silences of students staring at each other that usually encourage interaction do not exist, often keeping intellectual conversations at a minimum. Without the classroom setting, there are also constant distractions mixed with an overall lack of separation between school and home. Many students, including myself, struggle with this aspect of online classes the most. 


Aside from the negatives, classes hosted on Zoom do have a few benefits. Presentations are much less stressful. I do not have to stand at the front of the lecture hall, wondering just how many of the thirty or so students are looking at me. Many of the classes are also recorded for later viewing. This is very convenient when it comes time to studying for midterms and finals. 


As the pandemic continues, I am grateful to be graduating from the University of Pittsburgh and leaving online lectures behind me. Looking back over the course of my educational career, both before and during the pandemic, I am proud of everything I have done. I know that much of it was rooted in the morals and values instilled in me by the teachers at Delone Catholic. These attributes will stick with me as I enter a career in research and continue my education in the future. 

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