As students, our weeks consisted of classes, social time, study time, organization time, rest time and meals. That’s not the case anymore. With Distance Learning, all separations of time and purpose based on space have blended together. 
The Quad, classroom, Brew/library, residence halls and dining halls are, for many of us, one room or one building now. 
There are no longer boundaries for behavior; you can sign into Zoom classes while half-asleep in bed; you can forget to eat because the same space you use as a kitchen table is now your only desk. Some classes only meet once a week now, while other classes are conducted just through Moodle. Parents might think you’re just fooling around on the Internet instead of meeting with professors. Some of us don’t have access to resources or are in unsafe living situations off-campus. 
This is terrain unlike any we’ve ever encountered together. Taking online classes this way is enough to make anyone feel like they’re floating in space without anything tangible grounding them. 
At the Observer, we understand the frustration and uncertainty of our current situation. But we also urge you (whoever you are in our Augustana community) to practice patience with yourself and others. We all must remember that students aren’t just “taking online classes” — we’re sheltering from a pandemic while trying to get an education and grow into ourselves as young adults.