Distance learning is taking a heavy toll on the mental and physical health of both teachers and students, and the negative outcomes might soon become irreversible if not remedied in the near future.

The idea of distance learning in times of turmoil may seem really good at first glance, but once you experience the drudgery, the perspective profoundly changes. Communication in this remote learning environment is a problem. Students and teachers work hard to communicate, but it takes time. Picture a train leaving a station in a fit of starts and stops, then replace this image with distance learning. See any difference? Probably not. 

And on top of that, people are struggling to adapt to the new medium of education, and this secondary obstacle adds to the amount of stress already being generated by the large amounts of work. It is safe to say most of the teachers and students at Briar Woods do not prefer online learning. To cope, advisory teachers are presenting a weekly curriculum to help us manage our stress levels. 

Distance learning also strains the balance between school and physical activity. Normally, students and teachers would walk to their destination or activity, but distance learning does not require the person, student and teacher alike, to move their body to the next class. Because of this new norm, we continuously become less attentive and more tired. This is unlike a normal classroom environment where your body is forced out of its dormant state to walk to the next class. In addition, students struggle to perform physical activity outside of class due to the intense amount of work required for distance learning.

Although online learning is a magnet that attracts all loathing, it does have some advantages. Studies of distance learning enacted at the University of Egypt analyzed the effectiveness of distance learning by using two groups; one group using an online simulation, while another group uses a physical lab. As it turns out, students who have used the online simulation performed better, compared to those who studied using a traditional science lab. In fact, students who used the virtual simulator were also more motivated to perform better than the ones who used a physical lab. But this study still does not discredit the fact that many people are still not comfortable with this new learning environment.

Overall, the effects of distance learning on people can be a highly debatable topic, but overall we can conclude that even if online learning can be beneficial to students for motivational and educational purposes, it still poses a threat to the well-being of both students and teachers.