by Victoria Lopatka, Staff Writer
As we transition back to in-person classes after more than 18 months of online classes, we need to be patient with each other. We are all facing the challenges COVID-19 created, such as increased mental health problems, concerns about getting sick, and learning how to interact socially again after distance and isolation. In short, the versions of ourselves returning to campus this semester may be a little more nervous, overwhelmed, and awkward than the versions pre-March 2020. This is why it’s important students and instructors be patient with each other through this adjustment.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reports COVID-19 has had “a negative impact on Canadians’ mental health,” with higher levels of stress, anxiety, substance use, and alcohol consumption reported since the beginning of the pandemic. Students are particularly vulnerable to these negative mental health impacts. A 2020 study reported 71% of the students sampled “indicated increased stress and anxiety due to the COVID-19 outbreak.” Even more students reported “negative impacts of the pandemic” and noted they were worried about their “academic performance.”
Students are not the only ones feeling stressed. Professors are feeling the negative mental health impacts of COVID-19, too. Nearly half of the professors in a survey conducted by Course Hero considered leaving their jobs due to the challenges and stress presented by COVID-19. Instructors at various BC universities have spoken out about concerns surrounding COVID-19 transmission in universities, suggesting university policies could be improved.
After months of social distancing and isolation, some of us may be feeling a little unsure of how to socially interact. Humans are social creatures and not socializing for periods of time can leave us feeling awkward, stressed, irritable, and sad. If you haven’t been socializing a lot lately, you may find yourself making excuses not to socialize, oversharing during conversations, or feeling self-conscious or hypervigilant in social situations.
So, what can we do for each other? Empathize.
Students: be kind to your classmates and promote honest conversations about these challenges so no one feels alone. Additionally, give yourself the space and time to adapt to all the changes in your life. This may look like balancing academics and social interactions with breaks and days off. As students, we must also be aware our professors and instructors have been feeling the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have been experiencing high stress and increased workloads. Try your best to be a patient, kind, and engaged student.
Professors: imagine how difficult it is to be a university student during a pandemic, transitioning from in-person class to online class and then back to in-person within two years. You’re in a position to ease some of the stress and worry your students may be experiencing. This may include giving students more or longer breaks during lectures, recording your lectures for those who are unable to or uncomfortable with coming to campus, and being flexible with your participation points, attendance, deadlines, and grading. Many professors made these adjustments during the peak of the pandemic, but these adjustments are still needed as we make yet another difficult transition.
As we go back to in-person classes, we’re also grappling with mental health challenges, worries about getting sick, re-learning how to interact with each other, and more. Fortunately, as cliché as it sounds, we are all in this together and can try our best to make it a little easier for each other. It is necessary we empathize and be patient — with our students, with our professors, and with ourselves.
