The rising COVID-19 cases in the first week of the second semester eventually led to the Milpitas Board of Education announcing a distance learning period that left only a fraction of the total MHS population on campus. Crowded walkways and sprawling lunch lines gave way to nearly empty classrooms and an unusually quiet campus.
Students like junior Gustavo Martínez Guzmán came on campus for multiple reasons. “School was closer to where I work, and with 13 other people in my home, it is hard to stay concentrated on my school work,” Martínez Guzmán said in an email interview.
Junior Mandy Lau said that one reason she attended school in-person was to better communicate with her teachers.
Meanwhile, junior Joanna Nguyen said in an email interview that internet issues at home risked hindering her learning. “Learning online is also hard for me when most of my teachers lag out, and I cannot understand them,” Nguyen said.
Since the majority of MHS students opted for online learning, the school was certainly less lively, but some students found the silence peaceful. Both Martínez Guzmán and Nguyen enjoyed seeing the campus empty.
“At the beginning of the week, I was a little lonely because all of my friends were not there with me. But I got over it pretty quickly, and I was happy. I’m a person who likes being by himself, and doesn’t really like hearing all the noise. It was extremely quiet and I liked that,” Martínez Guzmán said.
Martínez Guzmán added that he took time for himself during breaks and lunch by playing with a soccer ball.
Despite the lack of people on campus, students were still able to find ways to stay connected with their friends and their school community. Nguyen said she called her friends during breaks to catch up with them, while Lau used the opportunity to get closer to some of her teachers. She spent her breaks in her teachers’ classrooms and said she felt a stronger bond with them—notably ones she has known for a long time.
With the distance learning period over, the campus filled up with students again. Lunch tables were bustling, classrooms were no longer filled with empty desks, and the murmur of people talking filled the school. Lau said she was glad school resumed in-person instruction. “I get to spend more time with friends,” Lau said.
For four days, only a handful of students were scattered around MHS’ vast campus. They found ways to maintain connections with friends and teachers even with the physical distance separating them. Through their experiences, they showed that, although they may not always be surrounded by people, they never have to be alone.