Claire, 12th grader

I love to draw, and I often find sketches online and try to copy them. When I'm not drawing, I'm either practicing for the drama club or participating in indoor and outdoor track. Physical education is my favorite subject, especially when we play badminton or volleyball.

I enjoy using social media, and I have accounts on TikTok and Snapchat. However, I've found it challenging to use TikTok during school since the internet is blocked on our phones. Sometimes, I stand by the window or go outside to find hotspots and connect to the internet.

At home, the internet is sometimes slow, and we have fiber optics. It can be frustrating when the connection cuts out, especially when I need to watch a video for homework. I prefer doing my assignments mostly at school since it's more convenient, and the internet there has been decent lately.

If the internet does cut out during class, the teachers quickly transition to paper, which hasn't been happening as much lately. It's frustrating when I need to watch a video, and it won't load. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we had Chromebooks and had to use a different wifi at home. However, the connection would cut off so much that my family couldn't use the service.

Living in an area with poor wifi, I had to try to use my phone or go to the window to get a better connection. Luckily, we were able to use Google Classroom, and the teachers were supportive. They even loaned a hotspot for my family during the pandemic.

* Names have been changed to protect the student’s identity