Google Meets have met their match with students’ furry and feathered friends

Escaping your family is easy, but your pets? Not so much.

Daisy Calderon, Graduated Photo Editor|December 11, 2020

Video of Miriam’s bird pecking at her computer screen while she’s in Ms. Wall’s English class (Video courtesy of Miriam Gabai)

Senior Michelle Velikovsky’s cat sits slightly on top of her computer while she’s in the middle of class. (Photo courtesy of Michelle Velikovsky)
Senior Miriam Gabai’s pet bird sits perched on top of her computer while she’s in class. (Photo courtesy of Miriam Gabai)
While taking notes during his AP Environmental Science class, Ethan Grinberg’s dog came to investigate what the senior was eating. (Photo courtesy of Ethan Grinberg)

Whether it’s your dad loudly looking for his keys, your mom cooking in the kitchen or your siblings talking loudly with their friends on FaceTime, there’s usually always some sort of distraction in your home, interrupting your Google Meets. 

Pets are no exceptions.

Bored with laying around on the bed or on the couch, furry friends, pet reptiles or birds will calmly walk across the computer screen for the entire class to see. It leaves the student embarrassed and scrambling to move them out of the way, but to those on the other side of the screen, the entire situation provides a brief moment of laughter. 

Sitting at the desk in front of a computer all day is by no means fun, but in moments like these — by seeing the reality of people’s situations and taking a moment to really acknowledge that despite all the issues going on — it’s clear that everyone is just trying to make the best of their situations.

Yes, it’s definitely annoying to have to push your pets away when they get too close to the screen, and it’s extremely embarrassing to have to open your mic when a teacher calls you out. But it’s also absolutely hilarious — if not for yourself, then definitely for those on the other side who you have kindly provided a bit of serotonin to on yet another distance learning day. 

If you have images of your pets walking in front of your camera while in class, please email them to [email protected].