During the COVID pandemic, I vividly remembered being jobless and sitting at home, searching for online jobs. No matter what you do or don’t do, needs and wants continue to persist, but unfortunately, I was unable to secure any online job, and I was also too lazy to learn any online skills.
Once global movement became possible due to the vaccine rollout, I realized how much the world and my immediate environment had been affected. I became acutely aware of how easy it is to contract infections, and my health awareness increased. I was always scared to go out, even though I was vaccinated. I began to wonder if everything could be done online, allowing people to work or receive services from anywhere.
Eventually, I secured a job, and one of the aspects I appreciated most was the hybrid work model, which allowed me to work from home some days and at the office on others. I started weighing my options and asking questions like whether it was financially cheaper to work from home than in the office. In the end, I preferred working from home, especially because the high transportation costs seemed disproportionate to the cost of data.
Working from home has made me appreciate the online space, as it allows me to communicate with anyone who is online. Here are some advantages of conducting activities online, whether it’s shopping, working, or learning: it saves time and is convenient. For instance, consider the time it takes to wake up early, get dressed for work, and navigate through traffic. The online realm has helped us manage our most valuable resource: time. It has also led to cost savings, such as reduced transportation costs, the expense of eating meals out, and the costs associated with maintaining a physical office. Additionally, online learning has improved significantly, with options like distance learning institutions (DLIs) enabling students to learn at their own pace.
I understand that everything with advantages also comes with disadvantages. Some of these disadvantages include a decline in physical human relationships, which prevents people from connecting on a deeper level. Additionally, there are feelings of depression and loneliness due to social isolation, health issues resulting from poor diet or prolonged sitting positions, eye problems from extended screen time, and an increased risk of fraud and scams. However, the advantages outweigh these disadvantages.
This is my response to the HIVE LEARNERS weekly prompt in the hive-learners community for the Week 199 Edition 2, and the topic to be discussed is ALL ONLINE.
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