‘If you want watch your lectures at 2am, you can’: The hidden perks of online learning

Online teaching has been a change that all of us have had to come to terms with. Now, with lockdown 2.0. most of us are dealing with studying, working, and socialising from home. Studying online hasn’t had the best rep, and with awkward MS Teams classes, bad Wi-Fi connections and screen-induced headaches it’s no wonder why. But, whether we like it or not, we’re stuck with it for the time being so let’s look on the bright side. These are the pros of online learning, according to King’s students: 

It’s an excuse to go fully nocturnal

One of the best benefits of online learning has got to be the potential for lie-ins. Pre-recorded lectures mean that we can say goodbye to the 7am start – and as for tutorials, you can still make your 9am with time to spare, having rolled out of bed at 8:50. According to third year Livi, this is one of the main benefits: “I’m practically nocturnal, so it works great for me. I’m getting much more done being able to work in the evenings, and not having to get up at 7am for workshops”. 

No more spending rush-hour nestled into a stranger’s armpit

Whether you take the bus, the tube, or walk, the busy London traffic and constant rain can make for a terrible commute. Another second year student, Rachel, admits she misses her commute to uni as a time to unwind but confesses that it saves her a lot of time. The tube delays and traffic will definitely not be missed.

On top of that, it’s no secret that London can be ridiculously expensive, and whether the tube tickets really add up (as does the daily Pret you grab at the station). Third year student Hannah is thrilled that she is spending “£80 less on transport monthly”, which I’m sure we’d all love. Many KCL students have even moved back to our family homes, saving some serious money by avoiding the crazy London rents.

Avoid the dreaded maskne

Obviously, the biggest perk is that studying from home helps reduce the risk of spreading/catching Covid-19. No need to stress about social distancing, and no mask-induced acne – you can wander around your own home free-faced.

More free time to ‘do reading’ (aka, binge-watch The Crown)

With more flexible uni and no commute, some of us are noticing that we have a lot more free time. Maddie says: “I’m freer and more flexible in my timetable so I can arrange my time how I want” and has found that this makes it “easier to balance your work, your extracurriculars and your social life”. With the new lockdown, this might mean more time to pick up a new hobby – or, eat several packets of biscuits whilst you watch Netflix’s newest Christmas movie. Your time, your call.

Uni is way more flexible

A massive positive is how flexible uni has become. According to Laura, the best thing is the flexibility now that lectures are being pre-recorded, which has given her the option to leave London and go back home – she says “I like being able to go back home because we can watch lectures at any time and we only have a few tutorials”. Second year Maddie strongly agrees that the flexibility is great – “if you wanna watch your lectures at 2am, you can!” she says.

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• What it’s like to be a student with Covid-19

• Are you lonely in lockdown? Sign up for King’s Goes Dating!

• The ultimate guide to takeaway pints in lockdown