It is clear that distance education is not easy on the student nor the professor. I have taken college courses during covid, and I have seen how hard it is to remain focused for hours on end, staring at a computer screen, with little to no student interaction via Zoom. 

Now that I am the instructor-to-be, even though my courses are set to be in person, I have learned a lot about the types of students, how to deal with certain behaviors / issues, and that as long as I am fair with my students, I should be okay. Make objectives and goals known early on the course, allow for the students to see the assignments in the LMS / CMS with ample time for completion, and encourage discussions.