Being a student in a pandemic is a hard deal, one that no one signed up for. But we are all trying our best to reconcile our student life with our material realities and that really matters. So I asked our members to share how the pandemic might've affected their student life and the coping mechanisms they have employed to battle the bleakness. Here are some of their responses:
"The past seven months have definitely been a roller coaster for me! There have been times where the pandemic and all the life changes it has brought have been crushingly lonely and disappointing, but I’ve often also been very grateful for the break from a normal, busy life which I think was much needed for everyone. As hard as it can be, I think in times like these it is most important to try and focus on the positive, otherwise, the constant stream of bad news might drive you a little bit crazy. Here are three tips that have helped me to cope with and stay distracted from the panic during the pandemic:
1. Take this time to work on yourself
As terrifying as all the news in March coming out was, being sent home for the rest of the school year couldn’t have come at a more perfect time for me. I had been struggling with my mental health for a while and hit a breaking point, so being able to take a break from regular school and be surrounded by family was immensely helpful. I was able to spend the summer developing positive thinking patterns and gaining more confidence in myself. Therapy and free online resources available to everyone were immensely helpful in this. If mental health is something that you struggle with, all this time to yourself is immensely valuable so take advantage of it!
2. Stay connected with friends
During the summer when case numbers were relatively low, I was comfortable with
occasionally hanging out with small groups of friends. Even though interactions like this are once again becoming less and less possible, it doesn’t mean you need to stay isolated! You can schedule Facetime sessions with your friends, or even drive by their place to give a socially distanced hello. I’ve also found that connecting with coworkers my age has been super helpful, along with getting more involved in extracurriculars and getting to participate in their group chats and meetings.
3. Work towards a goal
Have something that’s been sitting at the back of your mind that you’ve always wanted to do? Now is the time to do it- you probably have a ton of free time (when you’re not doing homework that is), so no more excuses! For me personally, I had always thought about writing the LSAT and applying to law schools, but I don’t think I was fully convinced that it was something I’d get around to working on. However, I soon began to wonder, why not? So, I signed up for the exam and began studying as much as I could! I’m proud of myself for having accomplished writing it and actually having a solid plan in mind has taken a lot of the stress of life after graduation off of my shoulders. Having a goal to work towards every day in the summer definitely helped me to keep looking forward to the future and got me out of bed every morning, so hopefully, it could help you too!"
-Elizabeth Casciaro, VP Events
"Like a lot of students, I was excited to have time off when COVID-19 first started. Then a few weeks turned into months, and staying at home turned into never leaving the house. I was relying on COVID to be over for the next semester so that I’d be able to see my friends and get back to normal, but Western, and basically every other university, cancelled in-person classes and the unknown of online school began.
Since all of my classes are online, school has been a constant cycle of being stuck at home and on my computer practically all day. As the weeks go by in the first semester, it’s become increasingly difficult to find the motivation to focus. What makes it even more difficult is staying at home with my family, as they don’t always understand that online school is still school — and still a ton of work. Not only that, but I’m also out-of-province, meaning I’m in a different time zone and have none of the basic socialization you’d get in London. Further, I’ve never had more problems with WiFi and technology than when online school started. Although I’m still incredibly fortunate to have access to semi-reliable WiFi and my own computer, which has been an unimaginable issue for a lot of students who simply don’t have that necessary access.
Adjusting has really been a process of struggle, but it’s comforting to know that so many others are in the same position as me, and have a lot of the same feelings and problems. Also, being at home with my pets and not having to cook by myself all the time definitely makes the experience better. Ultimately, the number one thing I’ve learned is to deal with stress and anxiety first and to be open and honest with your peers and professors. In some ways, we’re all in the same strange boat, but we’re able to look to others to help us out if we need it."
-Destiny Hopkins, Social Media Commissioner
" Studying at university during a global pandemic is undoubtedly a whirlwind, and as a first-year student, I’ve had to develop a few new techniques to help balance academics and extra-curriculars, while still prioritizing mental health. The current climate of online classes has increased the necessity for self-regulation tenfold, and I have found that creating weekly “Master To-Do Lists” has been an incredibly helpful tool for organization. Each Sunday night or Monday morning, I’ll go through my OWL sites and write out each task for the week under separate headings for each class. I’m sure everyone can relate to the frustration that comes with missing readings or quizzes because each OWL site is laid out slightly differently, so creating an all-encompassing to-do list is always a great thing to have at the ready.
Mental health has finally been brought to the forefront of Western’s priorities for its student body, but this doesn’t mean that every student has found ways to cope with anxiety in this unprecedented time. I can certainly admit to having emotional meltdowns this academic year and this is nothing to be ashamed of. When I feel myself becoming increasingly stressed, I’ll get up from my desk, close my laptop, and go for a walk. I might get a glass of water or cup of tea, facetime family or friends, or crack open whichever book I’m reading at the moment. Although it’s easier said than done, don’t feel guilty for taking a break from work, whether it be to socialize, relax, or participate in an extra-curricular activity. Remember that just being at university right now is an incredible achievement and you should be proud of yourself for even getting here!"
-Faith Caswell, Events Coordinator
"I wonder what we’ll think of this time in our lives a few decades from now. Like ah, the pandemic. That time a deadly, contagious virus went around the whole world and we thought it would be over in a few weeks.
Yet here we still are, months later, experiencing this weird, hybrid version of life. You can still do normal things like going to school, but it’ll be online. You can go to the grocery store, but you have to wear a mask. You can hang out with your circle of friends, but not too many.
Adjusting to this new version of life, while not really having an end in sight, is difficult. But here are some things that you can try to feel like a person again!
- Wake up at the same time every day (or try your best to!) I’ve been waking up at 8 am on most days now. Whether I went to bed at 11 pm or 4 am, starting my day at the same time has brought structure into it. Even if the day feels unproductive or disorienting, it’s nice knowing that a brand-new day will restart tomorrow at 8 am and I can try again. It makes up for the structure that we lost with all the other things in our lives, I think.
- Wear your outside clothes when you study/attend an online class I really thought I could get away with wearing a nice shirt and my pyjama shorts when I go to my zoom lectures since people can only see the top half of me. Turns out, that’s not a good idea. Especially if you study and attend class in your room, associating your comfy clothing with the stress of school is a bad mix. Switching into jeans before a lecture helps make that distinction between home and work.
- Keep a journal! It’s good to keep track of your thoughts, feelings, and reflections no matter what time of your life you are in, but especially now. It’s a strange time. Stay in touch with yourself. Make sure you understand what you need. Also, like I said in the beginning, it would be interesting to see what this all means to us in years to come."
-Isabella Elias, Publications Manager
"One of the toughest challenges with online studying is the looser schedule. It is harder to prioritize tasks and keep on track throughout the days without as many rigid events. I found myself skipping asynchronous lectures and readings to focus on assignments in busy weeks, which made catching up overwhelming. To cope, I’ve been using my calendar a lot more than usual to make my own schedule by setting aside time for asynchronous lectures and readings. While I still allow myself to be flexible, writing it down really helps. Doing things like groceries, laundry, or watering plants on the same days every week also helps keep track of the days and maintain a sense of routine.
Most importantly, I take breaks and try not to be too hard on myself. I accept that this year is more challenging than most and everyone is struggling. I take the time to do things that I find fun like re-reading YA novels for a sense of comfort and escape. I also make sure to keep in touch with friends and family regularly, even if it has to be over Zoom."
-Britney Forget, VP Academics
"Personally, I think it is so easy to distract yourself with your phone when there are a lot of stressful things on your mind. However, ironically, all the things I watch on YouTube are a reflection of the stuff that I am already thinking about. So instead of distracting myself from Covid-19 and Trump’s lame statements and excuses (To Americans: please assess the politician’s reactions and not their actions. The Trumps can be great actors, and they appeal to people’s emotions and they are fooling a lot of people into believing that they are competent), I tried to educate myself by viewing a whole bunch of videos related to historical pandemics and current politics. Especially striking were the videos I found about the plague during the sixteenth century in London. When people fell ill, they were isolated from everyone. They couldn't even receive proper burials. Watching a graphic documentary where they were suffering by themselves with all their symptoms was so, so heartbreaking (much like our current reality). Even though these are stories from sixteenth-century London, a lot of similar things happen today (even before Covid-19), and there are plenty of YouTube videos for us to learn about them in a way that might help to combat anxiety!"
-Jothie Muraleetharan, Outreach Officer
"It’s common knowledge that a large part of going away to University has to do with embracing the unknown. Still, I think that no group of first-years has ever had so much ‘unknown’ shoved onto their plates as this year. I have loved my University experience so far, and I can rave about it in so many ways, but I can certainly say it hasn't been easy. I am currently living in Delaware Hall, which has allowed me to make friends and explore the campus. I have also had to adjust to the ever-evolving residence covid rules that come along with living in a building that has so many people. I am thankful to feel safe in my environment, but I also must admit that this can create added worry, such as remembering to wear my mask when going to the washroom. As far as taking classes online goes, I have found that I am still able to immerse myself quite thoroughly in my studies. Having a few in-person classes every week certainly helps (though it can feel a bit strange to be sitting six feet apart from my nearest classmates) and I love getting the experience of sitting in a lecture hall. As for my purely online classes, I have to admit they took some adjusting to. Every professor has their own method of setting up online learning, so it took some time to acquaint myself with the unique expectations of each of my classes. Now that I have more of a routine, however, and have gotten used to the various online platforms, I find it to be much more manageable. Overall, this year may not be the idyllic first year that I always imagined for myself, but I also know that I will come out of this year with much more resilience, and I’m sure quite a few good memories as well."
-Abby Robitaille, Events Coordinator