INTRODUCTION

March 2020, this time is unforgettable for anyone in the world. The start of the COVID period. The impact of this virus is so huge that even today, the whole world is fighting with COVID variants. Several people lost their dear ones, companies faced huge losses, people lost their jobs, and the economy of many countries went down due to nationwide lockdown imposed. Social distancing, masks, sanitizers, cleanliness, etc. became some of the important terms in every life. In a very short period, the normal life of people which was used to living has been drastically and unexpectedly changed. As every aspect of people got affected, being a student, I am going to shed light on the life of students, impacted by this virus.

HAVOC IN EDUCATION SYSTEM 

Due to nationwide lockdown consequently, school colleges have to be closed, when the situation gets worsened day by day, then one of the biggest shifts was taken by school and college authorities. That is, conducting online classes. Google-meet, ZOOM are some of the famous platforms which are in use, in most schools and colleges. Physical classes are non-replaceable, but we cannot stop teaching so it was a necessary step. But this step did not fit in every student’s life. Not every family afford a smartphone or an internet connection. Poor internet connection is a very common excuse in today’s time for a student but the irony is that in some areas unstable connection is a very serious concern. Video is not clear, voice is not audible very common problems, but these common problems will be a huge problem in studies. Millions of students’ studies getting hindered by this.


Source: Pixabay

One more drawback online classes have is if everything is good but if students will not pay attention then will better internet connection plays a role. The answer is YES it is because it is very easy to get distracted, most of the students don’t pay attention, instead, they do web browsing, play games, watch movies, or do any others task. College life is one of the most beautiful chapters I guess, but shutting colleges due to pandemics ruined many students' dreams of going to college, living in a hostel or PG. Many students are living a life of opening a PC or phone to join the class, turning on the mic only at the time of attendance, copying and submitting assignments before deadline, making notes, that's it, unfortunately, this is the college life for several students. Practical classes, now practical are no less than a theory lecture.

Postponement or cancellation of exams for an unknown time had also impacted the academic life of students and also the session calendar. The uncertainty over the conduction of exams directly affected the schedule of students, preparation methodology as well. As coaching institutes started running in online mode, doubt solving sessions also shifted in online mode. The postponement gave extra time for preparation but on the other side also create chaos as it was becoming tough to go through the same topics for revision. Several exams got canceled as well, like the 10th and 12th board exams, the unexpected results based on their previous performance also affected several students as they did not get a chance to write the exam.

STRESS & MENTAL HEALTH

Source: Piyapong Saydaung from Pixabay 

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus the mental health of people. Many people experience this thing in the lockdown period, but not even during lockdown when they found themselves alone in some aspect of life. Staying locked in homes make people lose jobs, feel lonely or bored, separate from others, fearing diseases, depression and anxiety. In the case of the protagonist of this article, that is, in a student’s life managing studies along with emotions is a tough task. Mental stress can affect concentration, motivation, and interactions.

As social interaction become less and almost null, fewer meet-ups with friends, relative, and teachers. As classes are held online anytime extra class can be held this stressed them with more workload and create a burden on them. Being a college student, it is very tough to interact with new people on social media platforms, if you are a fresher. The screen time also increases this also had some big bad impacts on health.

As COVID-19 hit hard our economy, consequently many families experience financial problems, which also create stress and anxiety among students. Many lost their dear ones, and also themselves or their family tested positive. Fighting with disease alongside maintaining balance with their academic life became a tough challenge. Anxiety and concern for their family disturb mental peace which affects them mentally as well as physically. They became short temper as well. As COVID cases increased, several lost their life, inside the heart it was becoming tough to stay positive, several students facing this dilemma, is it easy to study? I don't think so because I also felt this. 

SOMETHING GOOD AS WELL

Though this pandemic is bad in itself, some good things also happened in life from the student aspect. We read several dark sides of student life but now let’s throw light on the good side as well. Due to lockdown every day became Sunday initially. Students got some quality time to spend with their family members, from doing conversations to playing with their family. They also get a small break from their studies and also save transportation time because everything switched to online mode. So dedicated students use this time in learning new skills and trying to make a better version of themselves. Ideally, students got more time for preparation so this would also help them to improve themselves. As classes are held online students have the flexibility of recording lectures. So, they can see recordings according to their convenience.

IN THE END...

In the end, I just want to conclude that no one knows when things get normal. So, each section of the student community should stay positive, strong, and motivated. Time is tough but if we make ourselves strong enough we can fight with this situation as well. Though weaker section students face more problems, if they work hard, they will surely achieve their respective goals. A question always raised in my mind, WHY ME, WHY AM SO UNLUCKY. Then my father corrects me that am not the one who is facing this problem. Some are facing much bigger problems and one who fights bravely will be the winner in the "EXAM OF LIFE". I just want to quote a line of Norman Vincent Peale,

“Change your thoughts and you change your world”.

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