Logo shown above is a copyright work of Mr. Eduardo Roque and Ms. Renalyn Maraya

      I headed towards the dining table to feed my growling stomach. As I passed by the living room, there I saw mom watching morning news.“There have been complaints going around about the wrong equation the DepEd TV has shown…” I heard the reporter said. “Mom, let’s eat.”

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      Each day goes by; cases of COVID-19 intensify. With no signs of lowering down, we have to deal with the uncertainties it brings.” Mom continued talking in the middle of our meal.  Some companies were forced to shut down; some lost their job that caused a great impact. Everyone was trying to cope up and deal with stress and anxiety that might lead to depression.

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      I made my way to the bathroom and started getting ready for our classes. Afterwards, I walked straight towards my study place in the living room. I turned on my laptop and prepared my phone then entered the meeting 5 minutes earlier. Our professor started executing his today’s agenda.

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      Hours passed and all my classes have been successfully finished. We just have to complete all the activities given. I browsed online before starting to do those activities, then a trending topic has been going on all around my news feed. It is about the suicide of some students across the country. It is so sad that they have to end their precious life due to the pain and sufferings that they’re going through.

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      Then, I finally decided to do all the activities. At first, it was going smoothly. It was easy to comprehend. But then, it gradually started to become difficult. I was getting frustrated. I’d been stuck on some questions for how many hours. I called my friend, Jessi.

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      “What should I do? I’ve been reading this over and over again, been trying all the formulas but I still can’t understand a thing. I can’t take it anymore! This is mentally draining!” Tears endlessly streamed out of my face. In front of the laptop, I cried. For a limited time, we need to digest the entire lesson our professor taught us. We need to comply and pass all the activities given on time.

 

      “Alex, we will get through this; we’ll get use to this kind of learning. Just hang on, we can do it” uttered with her best soothing voice.

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      “Science and Mathematics are too hard to understand, the formulas and everything are driving me insane!” I continued crying. It was hard on my part being the eldest daughter in this family. I have to help and even answer my brother’s modules while I --- I have no one to ask except my classmates who also are having hard time to understand the lessons.

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      “Let’s just extend our time to finish this, okay?” We sacrificed our sleep just to finish all the activities.

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      After finishing all of the activities, I lay down on my bed, thinking of what might happen tomorrow. It is draining all of my energy; we are stuck in this cycle. Tomorrow is just any other day, online classes in the morning and modules at night. Not passing the subjects is a nightmare for us, students. I then asked myself “Am I still learning, or I am just passing requirements?”

 

      I continued rummaging through my thoughts, thinking that there’s an answer to my question until a thought crossed my mind. Online learning isn’t just about typing the code given by the lecturer, there’s more to that, that we failed to see and understand. You only live once, Life is too worthy and precious to end. There are more enormous problems than this catastrophe. We have our approachable teachers and guardians to guide us; we have our cheerful friends to walk with on this stressful journey, as well as we have our own selves. I am not alone, so as you. Together, we will turn these nightmares into the sweetest dreams we could ever have.