So... you want us to do uni from home?

So... you want us to do Uni from home?

The reality, the struggles and the disappointment.

One of the main issues that has risen from the country being in lockdown is that so many of us are working, learning and studying from home. But is this really feasible?

 For many of us fresher students, this isn't what we signed up for. We signed up for meeting up at pubs after days of lectures, varsity games and the last nights out with each other before returning home for summer. We signed up for going to the library with course mates and stressing each other out when talking about exams and upcoming deadlines. We signed up for in-person lectures, help from seminar leaders that doesn't rely on good WIFI and study spaces that don't have the background noise of a sibling playing Xbox or the temptation to just sit in the garden. 

I think that for many students, at whatever level, motivation has been lost. It's harder than we thought to try and complete every essay from home and do exams online. Because of this, I thought I would speak to some friends and students to get their take on being a 2019 fresher, trying to complete first year during a global pandemic and the uncertain future of our second year.

Beth is a psychology student at Worcester and everything for her has remained the same in terms of content taught and examinations, however, they were given the option to defer things for two months. A controversial topic for many Universities at the moment is the implementation of a 'No Detriment' plan. This is used at Cardiff to ensure than no students will be unfairly affected by the pandemic and how it may have impacted their work. A similar 'safety net' has been used by Liverpool uni for Issy, providing some form of reassurance. This is not the case for  Beth and thus she still has to produce work to the same standard as if she was still attending uni. 

A lack of focus is such an issue. I, and many of my friends have suggested that because the lecturer is not physically present, focus slips much quicker. Whether this be checking phones or making a cup of tea, the nature of the recoded lectures makes pausing videos easy and something that is obviously not possible in real life!!

Everyone I've spoken to recognises that whilst we have faced disappointment for what our first year of university could have been, there are bigger issues at hand and we do not want to exacerbate the situations. However, we are now facing concerns over what our second year will look like. Deferring for a year is an option many are considering, and those looking to go to university in September may be considering the same. For the rest of us, uncertainties are made worse by other universities suggesting plans, leaving us to speculate. For me, studying abroad in the second semester of my second year is something I have been dreaming about since I knew it was an option and now, this may not be possible. We are simply asking for guidance, advice and reassurance that our degrees will not be affected whatever the following year looks like.

Times are very uncertain and we are all looking for support and answers, when there are very few to give. Que sera, sera may be the only way of thinking at the moment, but whatever does happen, we will continue with our studies.

I know that when I return to Cardiff at some point, but for now we just have to continue to stay positive and support each other.

Love always, Annabelle Grace
xox