Isolated Studies: How students are finding ways to effectively study through COVID-19

As COVID-19 struck Johnson County last March, students and staff have been finding new ways to adjust to their learning spaces. With students going back and forth between remote and hybrid learning, they’ve had to find quiet places to get their work done. 

In an Instagram poll of 260 students, 96% said they study in their home. Mostly due to COVID restrictions, students have needed to find outlets aside from sitting at a coffee shop or having an in-person study group in order to get their work done efficiently. 

Although most local coffee shops and bakeries have COVID-19 precautions set in place, some students would simply rather take the safe route and stay home. That’s where the the Homework Club comes in. 

Sophomores Ava Cooper and Anohita Paul decided to start Homework Club, which is functioning virtually due to COVID-19. They’ve had the idea to start the club since middle school, and with the help of their sponsor, English teacher Erica Jackson, it was made possible. The club is open to anyone who needs help with schoolwork, as well as anyone who wants to assist others.

Homework Club is a resource for all students – from those taking AP and Honors courses to those a few years behind in math. Different students have different skills, so if a student struggles in one area there’s always someone who can help them, and vice versa. Cooper and Paul hope that students will grow more confident in their own academic skills by working with others.

“When Ava and I did homework together, it really benefited us and we felt like we got the information down more,” Paul said. “Also, especially with online school, I noticed more people struggling to keep track of their assignments and stay motivated.”

Junior Emma Brown first attended the club to support her friend, Paul, and see what her club was about.

“I just like the idea of it in general because I really wish in my sophomore year I would’ve had resources like that,” Brown said. “I remember really struggling with a few of my classes, so I just think that it’s great there’s a club people can go to and talk about the classes that they need help with.”

As one of the upperclassmen, Brown finds herself on the giving-help side of the club when she attends with sharing her chemistry notes or giving them advice on how to do well in a class.

All in all, the Homework Club has been a helpful resource for numerous students at East to get their work done with the help of peers in whatever environment they have.