Since COVID-19 struck the United States, the way of life of many Americans is up in the air, especially in regards to the American schooling system. With crowded halls, close desks and the sheer amount of students in a classroom, let alone the entire school, revisions must be made to increase safety for students.

As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the world, being stuck at home can really take a toll on mental health and make home life more difficult. Returning to in-person classes may solve some of these problems, giving students an escape from their home lives. To help with concerns on the spread of COVID-19, the school day should be split in half, having two grades come in for the first half of the day and the other two come in for the second half. This can help with students’ mental health, giving them time with friends and socializing with people outside their household as well as providing a sense of normalcy. According to the World Health organization having school could release some anxiety, because it provides the social support that is essential to a child’s mental health.

Though online schooling greatly diminishes the spread of COVID-19, changing a student’s day-to-day life can mess with their sleep schedule and mental health tremendously. The back-and-fourth of online to in-person schooling can be very confusing for students and mess with their organization structure. Many students during online school waited until the last day of school when all their assignments were due to do their work, instead of doing them when they were first assigned or when their actual due date was. Though many adjustments will be made to the school day, having a daily routine can encourage the students to get work done on time. 

Schools all around the world are struggling with developing new rules for the upcoming school year. As cases rise, it is hard to know when this pandemic may end. Tough decisions will have to be made carefully to ensure the safety of all students.