My Experiences as a Student During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The earth is on a COVID-19 pandemic in mid-January. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly identified coronavirus, according to WHO. There are no clear vaccines or therapies for COVID-19. There are, however, several current clinical trials testing new treatments. I went home straight after I got the news that face-to-face teaching and learning programs had been discontinued. Since then, my daily habits have started to change. Thus, I am going to talk about both the positive and negative aspects that I have got as an active student.
At first, it seemed like nothing serious was going on. I was happy to be at home with my parents and my siblings. My mom cooks for a daily meal; that is what I have been waiting for since it is my favorite. I started growing crops. I grow chilies, spinach, mustard greens, and a lot more. They are easy to harvest. And then, with my own cultivating, I make my meal. It is a hobby that I began to do again because, genuinely, the farming activity might ease my mind.
The courses have developed into an online class, and it runs on a fixed schedule. I do not have any problems with it, personally. But some of my friends do not have the same home network, so they need to use their cellular data to join the class via the Zoom app, Google Meet, etc. The university offered relief by partnering with several providers to provide free mobile data on access to educational applications. However, my friend told me that he was still paying for it. I do not like the online class method, and I prefer face-to-face classes, but we have no other choice.
My friends and I are still struggling with time management and balancing family, household, and college responsibilities. Adjusting to online instruction and finding quiet places to work is also extremely difficult. Instead of worrying about our physical wellbeing, we are concerned with our mental health, which tends to be relatively higher. Since we are doing social and physical distancing, we are only able to talk virtually, and, of course, it is different. Sometimes I get bored, and I find it difficult to do anything else.
I hope this pandemic would be over soon, and I might start getting out and do something “physically” again. Occasionally, staying at home makes me reflect on myself, which is a good thing. I need to learn my inner workings as well as my outer form. But still, I am a human — social being who shares mirror neurons that allow us to instinctively and immediately match each other’s emotions. We are involved in telling and listening. It must be great to be socializing again.