It has been more than a year now since the new normal began. Before, a crowd is not an unusual sight in our daily lives as students. Now, schools are off limits and we are mandated to stay at home. Traveling to school, studying with classmates, and hanging out with friends were now things of the past. The new wave of learning is now done remotely through the internet and modules. Google Meet and Zoom are the new classrooms where students attend classes, webinars and other academic activities. In fact, the University of the Immaculate Conception (UIC) embraced the “new normal” by having the intramural league— one of the biggest yearly events that is usually held every first semester of the academic year, put into virtual. In fulfillment of this year’s event, it was renamed as “e-ntramurals” or electronic intramurals, where the said activity was held via video conferencing and Facebook Live. Votings are also done by Facebook reacts and likes.
It may have appeared that institutions could cope with the change, but how about the students?
Anxiety
The anxieties of students began when classes were suspended due to COVID-19 last March 09, 2020. For UIC, the semester is yet to be over and there were activities that are to be conducted. At first, it was not that serious as a lot may have thought that classes will resume next week or next month. But as the number of cases affected by the virus progressed, students began to worry if they will ever finish their academic tasks and exams. But eventually, all of the disorders have been cleared. This has only been a minor trouble as there were many more concerns. For instance, students cannot go home to their hometown due to the lockdown coming into force in mostly all Mindanao areas. Working students who lost their jobs experienced distress on how to pay their tuition fees, while students with limited access to the internet or gadgets cannot process their settlements. How we left the Academic Year 2019-2020 was undeniably upsetting. There had been the public opinion of academic freeze, and the government had been pleading with the Department of Education (DepEd) to delay the opening of classes but to no avail.
“Prior to the start of online classes, it has become my biggest anxiety, and it still is,” a student from College of Arts and Humanities (CAH) answered when asked about her anxieties during the pandemic. The idea of opening classes and its transition to online learning led students to be uneasy as it is different from the traditional learning environment.
A massive change
COVID-19 has shaped the course of education. Last August 01, 2020, the University of the Immaculate Conception pursued the opening of classes despite the initial opposition of President Rodrigo Duterte (CNN Philippines, 2020). This began the journey of the College of Arts and Humanities students to transcend to online classes. With this, an unfamiliar space of online learning is trying to replicate the traditional classroom. However, some of the issues raised among the students are not just the inability to have access to the internet or gadgets, but also those who are unable to enroll because their parents lost their jobs and have no income to pay for their children’s enrollment. Moreover, some students have difficulties in learning since educators fail to be more engaging due to the limitations of online teaching. “Online classes have unlocked a different type of mental strain because of its lack of physical movement and I’ve felt like every day is a week day where procrastination always has a role to play,” said a CAH student who was asked how he felt about the change.
Generally, the students have a hard time adjusting, but they are left with no choice as they are pressured not to be left behind, but truth be told, online learning is not replicating the traditional classroom.
Applauding our educators
Although students are anxious, pressured, and distressed in these times of the pandemic, they feel grateful as the educators of UIC and especially from CAH are the ones who took a huge leap forward amid the challenges. Students were ensured a guaranteed flexible time for classes and were given consideration in adjusting to the deadline of their given tasks. “I am extremely grateful to them because I know that without their guidance and support throughout these trying times, I would not be able to come this far. Especially on days where I feel more confused about the schoolwork than I usually am, their quick response to my questions and their approachability would honestly give me the fuel and inspiration to keep moving, which I think is what students need and must have,” said one CAH student.
The education system may have been constrained in various ways and, frankly speaking, may not be the best quality for now. Still, the teachers have taught us how to become a caring and responsible human, a knowledge-worthy of being acquired for more than anything else.
Start of something new
It has been a rough year for most people, but for us students, as we now have an awareness of how the new normal directed change into our lives, the only thing we could do is make the circumstances better and learn from what we have experienced the past year. As students, we must have a strong spirit against any challenges and always still eager to learn. Educational institutions must also instill in their educators the importance of understanding and giving considerations to their students who are having a hard time adjusting to the new wave of learning, just as how the CAH instilled in their teachers.
“Due to this unprecedented pandemic, we are burned out from all of the things that are happening around us. But it is important to remember to rest and when you feel overwhelmed, do your work one at a time, don’t overthink it,” shared by a CAH student when asked for advice to fellow students coping in the middle of a pandemic.
Let this be the “start of something new”, a quoted phrase taken from a song in High School Musical. In this new normal, we have to keep fighting this fight with hope, courage and passion, and start something new that is productive, healthy and reasonable.
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