Students were transported back to the 2020 COVID-19 era on Monday with Clemson’s campus-wide electronic learning day.

In an effort to “make the event of an unplanned emergency manageable,” according to the Clemson University website, all classes and assignments were held online. Professors were allowed to teach their classes either synchronously or asynchronously, but no one met on campus.

This initiative was a very effective way to prepare both students and teachers if an unprecedented emergency — for instance, last year’s Hurricane Helene — were to occur and force learning off campus.

If a similar case were to happen in the future, this e-learning initiative helped professors organize a cohesive alternative to classes so that their curriculum and schedules, and therefore students’ educations, aren’t potentially compromised by the uncontrollable.

Additionally, I applaud whoever’s decision it was to leave instruction methods up to the teachers, as it brought some nice variety into the day.

For instance, two of my Monday professors decided to host classes via Zoom meeting, while the third chose the entirely asynchronous option and assigned some writing assignments, readings and discussion boards.

Overall, the e-learning day was a breath of fresh air in the middle of a hectic semester.

Judson Grass, senior political science major, agrees. He told The Tiger in an interview that the e-learning day was a nice change of pace.

“I was able to complete my Moot Court simulation over Zoom this morning for my Law, Courts, and Politics class and finish a discussion post for my English readings,” he said. “Getting my coursework done earlier than usual has given me extra time to focus on LSAT prep.”

Students had the opportunity to get some extra sleep, not having to worry about catching the bus, walking to campus or leaving home early enough to hopefully get a rare parking spot.

The transportation, and subsequent time-saving aspect of the e-learning day was one of the largest benefits for me. It also presents a possibility that more e-learning days might help assuage student concerns about available parking next year, which will be limited for Bridge and first year students.

There are drawbacks, of course. Some students probably ran into issues like Wi-Fi disruptions, noisy roommates and general off-screen distractions. Overall, it’s a bit harder to focus in a Zoom meeting lecture at home compared to in-person, on-campus classes.

However, these drawbacks don’t undermine the overall success and effectiveness of the day. In fact, I would love to see the University consider implementing just a couple more of them throughout the school year, maybe once a month.

E-learning helps students and teachers practice for potential emergencies, save time normally allotted to transportation and, in general, get a little extra rest and relaxation.

Kat Pugh is a junior English major from Clayton, California. Kat can be reached at [email protected]