The new Covid 19 virus began and most schools switched to online education. International Exam boards and majority of schools scrapped their exams for that year and only predicted school grades were awarded to the students., Online education was never taken seriously with the expectation that education would soon return to usual.
Fast forward to about 5 months later, cases reaching 30 million worldwide, we find ourselves sitting in front of our screens to attend classes. This time, the effect is more serious because the whole semester and in some cases, academic year is online, even though, previous academic year, online classes only lasted a few months. Here in the UAE, students were given the option to do blended learning, however according to a recent Khaleej Times poll, 61.45 per cent of the students prefer e-learning while only 38.55 per cent of pupils want to opt for in-school classes.
The sudden rise in Covid cases has many students and parents on high alert and many of them switching to e-learning only
Online schooling can have serious effects on students’ mental health even if they are not necessarily loud and clear.
Students miss seeing their friends, they want to be able to go outside freely. Waking up for yet another zoom class seems like a task.
As the pandemic drags on, it isn’t clear how long students will have to stick to online learning so we must keep in mind that it is vital we take care of our health and also check in on our friends too. Asides from the drastic switch to online learning, everyone is dealing with their own issues at home ranging from dealing with a loss of a loved one due to the virus or financial crisis or simply not being able to see their family back home. The return to normalcy merely seems like a mirage with the recent spike in cases in the UAE and this seems to have downed our spirits. It is important to do our best to not let this emotional stress get the best of us.
It is seen that with schooling treading into the e learning field it creates a problem for many families at home. Since they are unable to afford a computer, many families find it hard. It adds additional burden to parents in families with more than one child as it will require each child to have their own device to only attend classes. To add to this, Many parents work from home to ensure that their children participate in school. Parents of even younger children are required to sit with their children resulting in working parents to take leave from work. Older students themselves face peer pressure from their peers for not getting the “coolest” or “latest” gadgets, and might even feel humiliated. This has subconscious effects on pupils, it can make them feel less than everyone else, and this can affect their mental health.
Making friends may not be the simplest for many first years at university or new students, making friends is practically not the same when you don’t even know who you’re talking to. I’m a first year student at university and while we all interacted with each other as a batch regularly using means of virtual communication, it wasn’t until we met in person that it felt right. Although I was able to meet my classmates, several universities around the world opted to move to a full semester / year online. This makes it incredibly difficult for students to make friends as quickly as possible. It’s best that we participate in virtual extracurricular activities that school/universities host as a means of getting to know your fellow peers.
To talk on this subject, Afrah Fahim, BSc Psychology graduate of Royal Holloway, University of London says “I think what a lot of people expect from staying at home is they feel the need to accomplish something. Yes, some people find this an opportunity to try new things, but not everyone is necessarily capable of that. Rather they start to have depressive thoughts, not feeling enthusiastic about anything that surrounds them, nor feeling like they can see a future ahead of them. People I know who are away from their families to study find it very hard to cope up with the current situation as they feel the immense homesickness, and knowing that they are not able to return home any time soon. In cases like this, it is extremely vital to take care of one’s mental and physical health. Keeping one’s mind idle can be very dangerous especially if you are feeling low during these times. As schools and universities are open I suppose there is less free time in your hands, otherwise, we should try as much as we can to keep our mind occupied. It could be taking part in any of your favourite hobbies or going out for a walk (whilst maintaining social distancing). I suggest to always keep close to your friends and family, whether it may be in person or online. Often talk to them about how you feel, we are all going through a collective traumatic experience so it is very likely someone else feels the same as you do. If not your friends or family, you can always get professional help. The UAE’s national hotline for mental health has been set up specifically for people who need help coping up during this pandemic. They can be contacted at 800-4673 (Hope), either via text or call.”