Graduating and the Coronavirus: Myth-busting Part 3

This is the third article of my five-part myth-busting series on ‘Graduating and the Coronavirus.

I have continued to receive queries from students on the impact that coronavirus is having on their continuing studies and graduation. I hope to provide some practical advice and clarity in this time of uncertainty.

In my earlier articles I advised on the importance of continuing with your studies, as whilst they may be delivered through different methods they will still count towards your final assessments and qualification grade. 

I also encouraged you to be mindful of the priorities of your University and lecturers. They are working in unprecedented times to confirm the processes for assessments and grading. Take note of announcements and make contact via the helplines and emails provided. 

In the last couple of weeks, we have seen our higher education facilities close, with the final semester of this academic year being taught remotely online.

It means that you, as students, have been undertaking your studies from home. This is an area which has sparked a lot of questions and discussion from the students I have been in contact with and so it will be the focus of this article.

Myth Number 3: All my teaching is going to be delivered online – my learning won’t be the same as it would if I was being taught face-to-face

For the first time ever every person across the country is being asked to work (where their job allows) or study from home, to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. 

I have to say the response from organisations and education bodies has been just amazing…they have really stepped up and put the provisions, logistics and infrastructure in place to make this happen – pretty much overnight!

So I have to say WOW…well done to all those people out there that made that happen. From a longer-term view, this will change the landscape of flexible working and studies forever…so out of all this uncertainty that is just one positive.

Although the speed in which this has happened has also meant that it has been a big change that has not been easy for everyone to adjust to. In recent weeks I have had a lot of students contact me for advice as learning methods and teaching support are moving online, for the foreseeable future, they believe they will not achieve the same level of understanding in their studies.

To that I have to say…I think this is a very much ‘what you make it’ situation. I also think that your level of learning and understanding is something that is within your control.

Why do I think this?

• For starters you will still have access to the same information from your lecturers and tutors…albeit that it will be delivered in a different method.
• You will still have platforms that will allow you to ask questions during online class time…you should make use of this to check your understanding at the time.
• Where your lecturer cannot provide you with the materials from say a specific book or demonstration…they will find a way round this to make sure that there is an alternative way of building your knowledge in that particular area.
• Your lecturers and tutors will still direct you to the additional resources that will enhance your learning…it is up to you to make use of those resources.
• You will still be able to reach out to your lecturer to request additional time with them or to ask questions of them…just be realistic on the timescale that it will take for them to respond to you during these unprecedented times.

In the conversations I have had with students around this topic I have found that the real issue has been more about self-management of studying at home during a period of lockdown.

And I have to say that students are not alone in this feeling…a lot of people I speak to at different stages in their career are feeling the same.

We are all finding our way. The space we had for living our home lives has suddenly become multi-purpose, it’s now not only our living space but also study…a gym…a library…your social space when meeting family and friends online…the boundaries are being blurred.

As a result, it can be difficult to keep focussed and know how best to manage your time and space. You want to study…but the rest of your life is encroaching not only on your study space but also your head space.

Again, this is something that you can take control of, you can start to create different boundaries around how you are living your life at the moment. In doing so you should free up the space you need to focus on your learning.

Some suggestions that can help you to do this are:

Create a routine…

Without having a commute to factor into anything we are doing at the moment it can be easy to sleep in later and go to bed later than you normally would. 

Try to keep your normal sleeping pattern in place…use the time you would usually commute to do something else…have a virtual breakfast with someone…exercise…read a book. 

You could create a commute by going out for a walk in the morning before you start your studies or in the evening when you shut the books over.

Plan your day…

Take time at the start of the day to plan what you want to achieve…and what you will you focus on. Remember to build in time for breaks and what you will do during those breaks to give yourself a bit of distance from your studying.

Take some time to go outside…

Whilst we are under lockdown we are allowed to go out for exercise once a day. If you don’t build this into a mini-commute then just take some time to go for a walk…you don’t need to go far…but get outdoors and get some fresh air…this is really important for your wellbeing. You may be lucky enough to have access to some outdoor space…a garden…patio…balcony. Can you spend some time there? You may even be able to study outside as the weather begins to get better.

Do something you enjoy every day…

I know that your studies are important and you want to get the best grades possible but it is also important to make sure you balance out your workload by doing something you enjoy every day. Whether that is some exercise…reading a book…listening to music…baking…doing some crafting…learning a new language…learning anything new…playing a musical instrument.

Doing something you enjoy every day will help to release endorphins that will boost your mood. This is important at any time…but especially at the moment when there are limitations on where you can go to do the things you enjoy most. You might need to get a little bit more creative on how you do this.

Connect with others…

This situation is giving rise to feelings such as anxiety…stress…feeling low, because you can’t carry out your normal routine. So whilst we are in lockdown and isolating from others it is so important that you still connect with other people. 

This is especially important if you are living on your own or if, as I know some students are, you are in lockdown away from your family. Pick up the phone…have video calls…use your social media channels. Take time to share how you are feeling…your achievements…challenges…worries…check-in with the others you are connecting with and how they are doing.  

Take time to look after you and the people you care about.

In doing this taking control of how you are managing yourself during this time it will help to give you routine and focus that you can use to support your studies and learning.

If you need additional support there are several charities you can contact including Student Minds, who are the UK’s student mental health charity, you can contact them through their webpage at https://www.studentminds.org.uk

If you would like to find out more about how I can support you as your transition from University to achieving your graduate ambitions then please contact me at [email protected]