If you had a choice, what would you choose: studying English in person or online? As an F1 student, classes have always been in person. Recently, we switched to online classes. Nowadays, most people are familiar with technology so online classes have become easier to do than before. In-person classes and online classes are different in terms of money, time, and convenience.

Face to face classes are more expensive than online classes. When we have in person classes we have to go by car and spend money on gas and tolls. Also, when we have to drive to class it’s possible that each family needs more than 1 car because everything is so far away from each other and Orlando doesn’t have reliable public transportation. When we buy food or drink at the school the prices are more expensive compared to having those things at our house. In addition, at the school, there is a lot of temptation to buy things such as soft drinks, snacks, etc. At home we already have our food and drinks and it’s much cheaper to buy in bulk from the supermarkets than to buy individual items.

We also save time by having online classes. When we have in person classes, we have to drive on average 30 minutes to get to school. If there is a lot of traffic, it takes even longer. After class is over, we also have to drive home which is another minimum 30 minutes. If we have class online, we have more time in the house to do chores before class, after class, and during breaks. When we don’t have to drive we can choose to sleep later or wake up earlier and be productive. It’s also not necessary to spend a lot of time getting ready for online class. It’s not necessary to wear makeup, perfume, nice clothes, etc.

Online classes are more convenient. With in-person classes, sometimes a student has to be absent because they have things to do at home or because they’re sick, etc. When we have class online, it’s still possible to attend class even if a student has other obligations at the same time as the class. We can attend class from any place with an internet-capable device: the house, the car, the pool, while traveling, etc.  There are less excuses to be late or absent to online class. With online classes we are able to spend more time with our families. Overall, online classes are less stressful.

When evaluating money, time, and convenience, online classes and in person classes have many differences.  When Harvest students received news about online classes, they were nervous, but the classes online have been better than anticipated. There are positives to both in person and online classes but for the moment, online classes are what we have and they’re fine.

*Disclaimer: This essay was written by a real HEI student and the HEI does not endorse or construe it as a true statement, nor discriminate against students ideas or opinions.