The physical impact

The effects of distance learning go beyond losing motivation, according to Ramberg, as it affects her physically as well.  

“I’m just tired all the time. I get Zoom fatigue, I get really tired from working and on calls most of the day,” Ramberg said. “I don’t get headaches which is just so nice. But my neck, my back and everything (else) hurts.”

A number of physical effects have accompanied the increasing cases of depression, according to Moeller.

“With depression also comes quite a bit of physical symptoms. For example, either sleeping too much or not sleeping enough … kids are sleep deprived, which is never good. That causes all kinds of problems — that lowers our immune system, that makes us crabby and cranky and interferes with our ability to focus,” Moeller said. “Headaches and stomach aches are common things we see with depression that we’re seeing with this (pandemic).”

For junior Brady Truett, he said he gets headaches from the excess screen time and the stress of certain classes.

“I get a headache every now and then. It could be five minutes or it could be the whole class period. A few of my classes have been really stressing me out,” Truett said.

Since Nagorski is constantly exhausted, she said she is only completing a portion of the amount of work she normally would.  

“I’m definitely more tired and my eyes start to hurt because of me staring at the screen. I leave my homework for such a late time,” Nagorski said. “Last night I was doing my homework at 1 a.m., I’m like ‘what am I doing? I have to wake up at 7:30 (a.m.).’”

Being apart from one another is a large factor in teen depression and anxiety levels, according to Moeller.

“It’s fair to say that the increase in depression and anxiety that we’re seeing is probably less about screen time and more about the isolation and all of the changes that have come with COVID-19,” Moeller said.

Ramberg said she is having trouble moving around during the day as she wants to complete the work given during her given asynchronous class time.

“I feel like the school wants and thinks we get up (during) our asynchronous classes, but I just can’t do that because they give us work and I want to do that work right away,” Ramberg said. “I can get up for like five minutes because I’m in the basement. I have to get upstairs for everything — that’s been difficult.”