On Monday, January 26, 2026, LRHS students heard two of the most PTSD-inducing words in a high schooler’s vocabulary: asynchronous learning. Due to the “snowstorm” North Carolinians experienced, students across the county had to endure the traumatic flashbacks associated with the term.

“It was actually horrible, I heard the news, and I started thinking ‘no, no not again,’” said Rachel Jones, senior. 

Intended as a convenient solution during unsafe conditions, the benefits of asynchronous learning collapse under lived student experience. Several LRHS students reported that when they heard the news, the panic attacks were immediate. 

Some common symptoms students suffered were, of course, panic attacks, but also hives, sweats, chattering teeth, and heightened overall anxiety. A few students also reported long periods of racing hearts, indicating a sustained fight-or-flight response.

“First, it’s one day out of school; next, it’s a whole year of online learning,” said Jacob Wilson, junior.  

The last time LRHS students heard the phrase “asynchronous learning” was back in 2020, right before disaster struck and Covid-19 ripped through the country. What started as a one-day off turned into over a year of learning through a computer screen. 

“I hated it so much…I really need it not to happen again,” said Jones. 

For the sanity of LRHS students–and by extension WCPSS students–let’s hope this bout of asynchronous learning is temporary.