Students Mental Health - During Covid 19
Category : COVID-19 | Sub Category : Lockdown Posted on 2021-02-24 00:26:17
The nationwide lockdown due to Covid 19,
compelled schools, colleges and educational institutions to shut down since the
month of March. The education sector has undergone a lot of changes in order to
suit the needs of the changing times. Schools and colleges had to face
countless difficulties as they had to shift classes to an online format. This
added to more hardships in an already stressful life of students.
We are all familiar with the fact that
student life is stressful as one has to constantly worry about grades, GPA's,
assignments, class tests, internships and job opportunities. These tensions are
eased to certain extent when one interacts with classmates and college mates on
a regular basis but the pandemic has brought a halt to all of that. Presently,
all classes are held online and students are facing mental health issues
silently within the four walls of their rooms. A student's mental health during
Covid 19 is important as according to a recent survey there has been a 20% rise
in the number of mental illness cases since March 2020 (outbreak of the
pandemic). The various mental health issues faced by students during Covid 19
are mentioned below;
1. Depression
and Anxiety.
2. Dependence
on gadgets like computers and mobile phones, no physical activity causing
irritability.
3. Frequent
Mood Swings, frustration and anger issues.
4. Habit of overeating to cope up with stress and
boredom.
5. More use of
social media aggravates negative feelings which lead to motivation and
self-esteem issues.
6. Less
interaction with classmates and friends leads to a self-isolating behavior.
The biggest problem with mental health
issues is lack of awareness and the social stigma attached to it. It is very
important to identify the underlying causes behind the increasing number of
mental health issues amongst students during Covid19. The following points will
talk about the most common reasons for mental health issues and increased
amount of stress among students during the pandemic.
- The preparation for exams becomes more stressful due to the repeated postponement of exams. These uncertain times makes the student anxious and fearful about attending the exams online because they are not fully familiar with the process.
- Grasping facts and following lessons online is very different from classrooms and requires more effort on the student?s behalf. Not being able to follow the lessons properly may increase the frustration among students. When students go to schools or colleges, they meet their professors regularly and hence get to interact with them regarding queries and doubts. A teacher might not be available all the time to solve the queries of the students during remote learning.
- Going to school or college makes the student communicate with his friends and classmates. Group studies, projects, assignments and discussions are an integral part of the system and speeds up the learning process. In the times of Covid 19 and remote learning, students learn from their home from their computer screens. This results in self isolation and an increased feeling of loneliness.
- Another big cause of rising mental health issues among students is increased screen time whether it is for online classes or for entertainment purposes. Research shows that spending longer hours in front of the screen can contribute to anxiety, low mood swings, sleep deprivation, low self esteem etc.
There are many institutions and colleges
that have been helping students cope with such difficult times. JIS Group is one such organization that has
been consistently trying to keep the students motivated and encouraged during
these tough times. The academic details and routine for each semester has been
chalked out in consultation with the principals of the various educational
institutes under the umbrella of JIS. Both theory and practical classes are being
held regularly through online platforms until any further notification from the
regulatory bodies. The academic calendar has been prepared by the faculty and
45,000 digital content including video lectures and virtual lab videos have
been uploaded on a dedicated online portal. The exam schedule has been fixed
and the ROPO Mapping has been made accordingly. All
the institutes under JIS Group have always followed the approach of
"Blended Learning" where an in-depth theoretical knowledge and requisite
practical skills are imparted to students. Due to the temporary shutting down
of educational institutes, JIS Group is
conducting the theory and practical classes online. Virtual labs, webinars and
online projects are conducted by JIS
quite frequently to ensure that the students stay focused and motivated. The academic committee has been instructed to
monitor the system thoroughly to ensure that the process turns out to be
hassle-free for students. JIS, has also
been organizing various online events and competitions to ensure the mental
well-being of students and also boost their academic performance.
Thus, in these difficult times, it is very
important for the parents and teachers to look into the problems and issues
faced by the students. Saying things like "fight it with will power"
or "it is just a matter of time" does not help. Listen to the child's
problems, talk with them and be a patient listener. If things get worse seek
professional help as the tolerance level of each person is different. Seeking
help and talking about problems will help the student deal with remote learning
and the Covid 19 crisis in a much better and efficient way.
