Although school at Manhattan High has returned to fully in-person for most, during online school in the final quarter of last year and hybrid first semester students had to turn homes into classrooms. Part of that was creating a good work environment.

“I get distracted by small things,” senior TriNae Williams said. “That makes me not want to work… in a dirty environment… [so] I cleaned my room and then I organized my desk.”

Many students didn’t previously have a good workspace at home, and instead used kitchen tables among other places for homework. Online school has made desks a necessity. Senior Hannah Pruce’s family got individual desks to facilitate online school last spring.

“I don’t like to work in my bed, because then I can’t fall asleep at night because it’s more of a workspace than a sleeping space,” Pruce said. “So, just having a different environment to work in… made life a lot easier.”

Organization was also used by students as stress management during quarantine. The added anxiety caused by COVID-19 combined with more free time compelled many to fill the hours with color-coding, labeling and cleaning. 

“That time alone definitely helped me to organize everything and my room in general,” senior Jazmin Gantt said. “I already organized in my free time when I’m bored and it’s also a way to relieve my stress… for school, I definitely started organizing my notes so much more. And actually trying to understand the information just because it was a little bit harder at home.”

[Jazmin Gantt describes workspace]