In-person learning is a concept that dates back to colonial days; however, as the world has developed, more and more, online learning has been an option that people have considered. When the pandemic hit, it more or less forced the world into online learning. There was a lot of debate on whether online learning or in-person learning was the best option throughout this time. There are many benefits to online learning; however, is educating yourself with a screen worth more than going to a school campus to have a professional educate you?

In-person learning is what most people accommodate. They wake up early, go to school, do activities, and return home. This gives them a sense of routine throughout the day. Going to school in person also provides a base for new friends and a strong community as you can find people who have the same interests or hobbies. Another reason students prefer in-person learning is that school is a designated place to get work done, and having that distraction-free environment is the easiest way to get all of your work done and not have to stress about it later. With this also comes to the fact that students find having a shared study space motivates them to do their work, as seeing other people struggle and accomplish their work brings a sense of comfort and motivation to try your best on something, "I like seeing other people studying in the library because it gives me a sense of motivation and comfort," observes one student." (University Affairs). In-person learning ties hand in hand with hands-on learning. Some people are visual learners, while others like to take detailed notes. However, other degrees require hands-on learning, such as engineering and cooking. If hands-on learning is essential to the learning experience, then an on-campus degree is best. Even though there are good things to in-person learning, there are also some negatives, such as less control over scheduling. If you don't have a flexible schedule or a busy life, then on-campus learning might not be the best option for you; however, you can accommodate and do some of your classes in person and others online. Another negative is commuting to class. With going to class in person, you have to factor in coming and going from your house to class which can cut downtime to work on something else. This is a big issue, and if you don't time anything correctly, your day will be wasted. Another negative is higher tuition fees. With in-person classes, most people go abroad for them, which means you also have to accommodate food fees and rent. You also have to adapt the money spent going back and forth from classes every day. This kind of ties into the point above of going to classes and stuff, but if you can find a stable job not too far from where you stay with job hours that accommodate your courses, you will have a steady money flow. I also think that it will probably be cheaper if you use student discounts on stuff.

Due to the pandemic, online learning rates have gone higher than before, but is it more beneficial than in-person learning? There are many benefits to online learning, such as flexibility. If you have to juggle school, work and free time, then this is a good option for you as the flexibility of online learning can help you fit everything into your schedule nicely. Another benefit of online learning is time management skills. Many jobs these days expect you to have decent time management skills. Another significant benefit of online learning is lower tuition costs. If you are struggling with money or want to travel the world but still be educated, this is an excellent option as it cuts down on costs that an in-person student would typically have, such as housing, gas and food costs. One of the significant advantages of online learning is the broader range of courses and programs. By going online, you can have many more options and follow your true passions without being restricted to moving away or going to a local university that might not have the course you want to study. There are many benefits to online learning; however, there are many disadvantages, such as more demanding technical requirements. If you consider yourself technologically challenged, Online learning might be more difficult for you as there is heavy reliance on computers as that is where you do all your work and hand it in. If you are technically challenged, then online learning might not be the best option for you; however, you can maybe get help at home if you can, and there may also be a lot of different options to learn how to properly use your computer such as YouTube tutorials or like courses.

Another disadvantage of online learning is more need for self-motivation. Self-paced programs expect you to have self-discipline as you have to do your work at your pace, but they also wish you to time manage your work and hand everything in on time. If you can discipline yourself and motivate yourself to do your job and not procrastinate, then your self-paced learning will be effective; however, if you can not self-discipline yourself and manage your work correctly, this isn't the best option. This also ties into the fact that there may be possible distractions at home. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a home office, so if your home environment is chaotic and full of distractions such as noisy roommates or kids screaming, then you won't be able to get much work done.

I prefer in-person learning, and I find it more engaging and more accessible for me to do my school work; however, this isn't the option for everyone. I think that everyone learns differently. Even though it wasn't the most amazing thing that's happened, this pandemic has opened up a whole new side of understanding that not many people knew about or would consider. So with that being said, there are many pros and cons to online and in-person learning; you have to go with your gut and choose the option you feel will best suit your learning style.