FLA Alumna Leonela Tase Sueiro Speaks About Her Online Classes at The George Washington University

I’m Leonela Tase Sueiro, and this year I’m a sophomore at The George Washington University—fully online and from home!

I got a taste of what virtual college would be like last spring semester, when we were sent home indefinitely after Spring Break due to the pandemic. However, this semester, since my school mandated that we all do virtual school from home as it would not be physically open, I had to acclimate to an online classroom and make it work.

At first it was difficult, as a house with six people—three generations—is hardly the ideal place for two college students to attend classes daily. But my entire family was dedicated to helping us through the process, so we went out and bought desks, desk chairs, lamps, and all the materials needed to create the right setting.

Now, since my sister and I share a room, she is my classmate, too—that’s a plus! Although, it’s definitely challenging when our schedules overlap and we have to be listening to our instructor and to each other speak at the same time, so in those occasions, we take turns doing class from the kitchen table.

Every time one issue is resolved, another arises. But it’s in these moments that we remind ourselves that we are not the only ones going through this hardship—our own teachers sometimes miss class because they cannot get BlackBoard to work, or forget how to use Zoom, or are in a different time zone.

The point is though, we are all learning more as every day passes, whether from class itself or from the hurdles we face. As long as we can all remain patient with ourselves, each other, and the systems supporting us through these changes, we can prevail.