Covid Awareness

STUDENT ISOLATION DURING COVID: WHEN GOING HOME IS NOT AN OPTION

In the month of March, students all over the world were given notices to evacuate schools and colleges and go back home as soon as possible. While most were able to reach the comforts of their homes safely, there were some who were not able to do the same. There are quite a few students who have their parents living in a different country, making it almost impossible for them to travel overseas due to the flights being shut. Some are stuck in hostels, some in temporary accommodations, some at their local guardians houses and some in unfamiliar places. 

With classes becoming online, no campus life, having chores to do and not being able to spend this time of quarantine with their loved one, can all add immensely to the already high anxiety and stress in a student’s life. The worry about achieving the best grades, managing extra-curriculars in the day, creating a good rapport with the professor, finishing assignments on time have all been added with the worry about a student’s own health, worry about their family’s health living miles away, worry about finishing exams in an unfamiliar place, worry about not being able to get back to normalcy, etc.

The American Health College Health Association conducted a survey which revealed that the use of mental health clinics have risen by 35% in the largest universities, while the enrolment has only risen by 5%.

The online mode of learning has already proven to be challenging. With classes and assignments being shifted online, there is no motivation to put effort in learning. Having to physically go to class and being awake for the entirety of it out of the fear of the professor noticing you dozing off, was enough motivation to pay attention to the things being taught. Now, when that is not in the picture, there not being the physical presence of the professor and having the option of switching off the video camera, gives all the freedom to the students to not pay attention during the online class and easily doze off during the sessions. The countless memes and tiktok videos swarming the internet right now showcasing students who are taking online classes lightly are a testament for this. This fallout on work and academics added with the stress of the pandemic is definitely taking a toll on the mental health of students.

The most unsettling thing for the mind at this time is the uncertainty of the situation. College students are uncertain about their exams, they do not know if their semesters will get over and some do not even know when they will graduation. Most are worried about not being able to find a job in time and a blurry future since this is the time when they choose which career path to follow.

The recent declaration of evacuation flights brings relief for some. Whereas, taking a risk to go back home in this situation still haunts most students. Due to the situation being so grave right now, there is added stress on these students about whether going back home is a risk worth taking, since there is a possibility of carrying the virus to their loved ones.

It is very important for these students to keep their mental health in check at this time. Tapping into childhood hobbies might be a good way to start. Painting, singing, dancing, sketching, writing, reading are some hobbies that get interrupted and are forgotten when students enter college due to the multiple new commitments that they sign up for. This may help enhance their creativity skills and doing activities that they used to enjoy releases dopamine, a pleasure hormone, which in turn keeps the mood more positive. Keeping busy with online courses and internships is another way to keep the mind off of the stressful situation that we are in. The mind being distracted from the media right now, which is very scary in nature, can help the students to not think about the uncertainty of it all. It can also help the students to feel more productive and stay motivated. In this way, the mind will also be processing new information regularly which will make it easier for them to get back on track when education institutions reopen.

If the mind is kept in check, only then will the students be able to have the hope of getting back to their normal lives.