Thread by @cubegrl

People have imagined what their school will look like in the fall. Generally, it makes them feel panicked.

What these stories don't show is why someone might choose to return to campus, willingly, knowing the risks.

I think there are quite a few reasons. 1/n #highered

Will it be different?

Absolutely, but I don't think that this (insidehighered.com/digital-learni…)

Or this (chronicle.com/article/A-PhD-…)

Is the only outcome available to us. And let's be honest, they are a bit skewed towards inevitable doom. 2/n

And I do happen to have handy a college-age kid who is anxious to go back and here's why:

He's an extrovert. This time has been extremely socially painful for him and social interaction via video games, phone, or video calls are simply not enough. 3/n

In fact, as a parent, watching him suffer has been excruciating. We worry more about his mental health than #COVID19 because we have lost extended family to suicide in the past. So for us, that possibility is just as real as a worldwide pandemic. 4/n

For classes, online is insufficient. It does not allow for all the tiny intricacies of side conversations. You can only speak one at a time (or pass notes via chat) and it takes more effort to pay attention. It is highly dependent on technology and so on. 5/n

Put simply, it is a good substitute and it is very, very appropriate for many situations (I'm a great online learner) but it is not the same.

For this student, it is a matter of preference, and while caution will be taken on all fronts I will let him do what is best for him. 6/n

But there are other students to consider too.

Studies have shown that many college students are food insecure. This hasn't changed for them at home, in fact it may have made things worse. They are an additional mouth to feed when they were getting fed regularly at college. 7/n

There are yet other students who have abusive families. It happens in the "best" families and in ones you'd never, ever think it would happen. For some students, this summer may have been particularly hard and their only hope is some relief in fall. 8/n

For others, their homes do not have access to technology. They struggled through spring online & often missed assignments because their laptop wouldn't work or their internet made them miss class meetings. Shame did not let them speak up and ask for help, so they kept quiet. 9/n

For still others, they live somewhere where the color of their skin, or their religion, their political beliefs, or the type of person they love puts them in constant danger. For them, in college, because it pulls from a more diverse & educated population, they can flourish. 10/n

There are some who if they leave, they may never come back. I was in that place once. I left college 3 different times. I truly, truly believe that if I left the 4th time (and I was close to leaving) that I would never have come back. My education has transformed me. 11/n

And I wouldn't give it up for the world. It lifted me from a life of poverty.

For anyone who has ever actually lived in poverty, you know that there can be actually something worse than the risk of being ill or dying. A life of true poverty is no joke. 12/n

And lastly, there are some people who just learn better in the classroom environment.

People thrive in different modalities and with different professors. Can this be overcome? Sure, but only with careful design, planning, and matching of preferences. 13/n

And I'd argue that right now, because decisions across the board from PreK on up are ever-changing, some students just need some stability, some accountability, and some room to be okay with whatever they decide to do without pressure. 14/n

For me, my own personal mission is simple. I'll meet them wherever they are. If it is online, I'll be there. If it is face-to-face, I'll be there too (with masks, wipes, and distance).

And frankly, I think we need less doomsday and more how can we make it work right now. /fin

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