Da Vinci High School students adjust to online learning

Da Vinci High School seniors spent their spring break finding new hobbies and wishing they could see their friends in person as they adjusted to the effects of the stay-at-home order.

DVHS students were told by their teachers on March 13 that they would be moving to online classes starting March 16. The campus closed, along with many canceled vacations and birthdays celebrated inside with fewer guests.

Amid a pandemic, Da Vinci High School senior Kamyran Williams celebrated her 18th birthday during California’s stay-at-home order. (Photo courtesy of Kamyran Williams)

Many students have been trying to find new things to do during the outbreak but are hit with some difficulties. Senior Sterling Blagg expresses discontent over a trail nearby his house getting closed down, he can’t even go for a good walk anymore. 

“I’ve been thinking of working out. Everyone needs to be more physical during this, we need to be more active,” Blagg said.

Above all else, Blagg wishes he could start hanging out with his friends in person again rather than seeing them on Zoom or Discord. 

“It’s been getting more boring,” Blagg said. “I’ve been talking to people online but it’s not the same as a real person. It’s like there’s a huge disconnect. When you talk to someone face-to-face you can see their emotions and you don’t get that when there’s this distance. It doesn’t feel right being locked up. I want to hang out with someone face-to-face.”

Daniela Calderon, Da Vinci senior, was looking forward to celebrating her birthday during spring break, she was going to spend time with her friends, go to the beach, and visit shops in downtown LA, however due to social distancing she has been spending her time indoors.

“Now I’ve been drawing and painting,” Calderon said. “I want to try to learn a new language to pass the time but now I’m just crafting on my hobbies.”

Calderon misses her friends and wishes she could spend more time with them when it’s deemed safe to leave the house again.

“When I transferred schools I saw [my friends] less but now I don’t see them at all,” Calderon said. “I want to go to their house — actually … I want to go out. We can talk on the phone but it’s not the same as face-to-face interaction. It’s better seeing someone in person.”

Kamyran Williams, Da Vinci senior, spent some time during the stay-at-home order playing video games and enjoying the lack of stress that comes with her assignment deadlines.

“My everyday life has not changed so much,” Williams said. “My daily life is kinda quarantine, I just stay in my house and do nothing. I didn’t even know it was Easter until I got on Animal Crossing and it said: ‘It’s Easter!’ and I was like ‘Yes?’” 

Although Williams doesn’t miss going to school, she misses the social aspect of hanging out with her friends during classes or lunchtime.

“To substitute, I go to the YouTube comment section and I feel like I’m interacting with people. Or I go on live streams and it’s like I’m there with someone,” Williams said.

Williams also expressed her desire to get out of the house and do something exciting with her friends.

“Aw man, I wanna go to the movies!” Williams said through a laugh. “[I want] to go to a concert or the beach when this is all over, give stuff to people because I know my friends’ birthdays have been going on. I want to see my friends after this is over.”