5/6/20 Kevin Zou Period 5

#33 Sophomores 2020

What is it like working from home? 

• It has been almost 2 months since the beginning of remote learning, and I can say I’m well accustomed to this “new normal.” However, the familiarity of working from home doesn’t come with automatic security and satisfaction. While remote learning does have convenient aspects like flexible hours and the privilege to complete classwork at your own pace, it doesn’t have the same educational impact as traditional learning. I feel like remote learning is similar to homeschooling in the aspect you have to become more independent of your own schedule and the time you put in your work. At the beginning of remote learning, I was rather lazy and procrastinated a lot on my schoolwork. Gradually, the work began to pile on top of each other, and I felt overwhelmed by school. One positive effect remote learning had on me was my increased motivation for work that came with the realization of self-accountability. 

What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus? 

• Currently, there are more than 3.7 million recorded COVID-19 cases around the world, with more than 1.2 million cases here in the United States. In New York City, the number of cases has reached almost over 180,000. On a positive note, the number of new daily COVID cases has declined from its peak of almost 12,000 cases in one day. Despite the decreasing numbers, epidemiologists speculate the virus can be ongoing for the next 12 to 18 months until a vaccine can be developed. 

What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions? 

• The reactions of the media to the coronavirus has certainly highlighted the presence of racism and xenophobia in our society, as can be shown through hate crimes committed to some minority groups. In these times, the tendency of some people to put blame on others is also present in the media. Recently, President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have concluded the origins of the coronavirus started in a laboratory in the city of Wuhan. Their claims were met with vehement refutation from the Chinese government. On the other hand, the Five Eyes network, an intelligence alliance between Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have shut down the accusations made by Trump and Mike. This situation shows how some people, in stressful times like these, are quick to point fingers without confirming the facts first.