Being a student...

 I wrote this for my university newspaper! Find it here: https://issuu.com/cheesegratermagazine/docs/cgautumn2020-4

Being a student is hard, that goes without saying. Being a student in the middle of a pandemic is even harder. This year, due to the coronavirus, I decided to stay at home, with the hopes of commuting into campus. As the situation with the virus evolved, things changed and suddenly my idea of ‘commuting’ was commuting from the sofa to the kitchen to fill up my water bottle, seeing as there was no cause for me to go into campus. All of my classes are online and all in person events, cancelled. I came to university with the hopes of finding lifelong friends to make memories with, yet instead I have received a package of crippling loneliness and internet connection problems. Additionally, being from a working class area has made things difficult for me. There is not much to do in Dagenham. There aren’t many places in which I could meet others, leaving me isolated in my room. Mental health funding here is extremely low, with 45% of patient referrals being closed before any treatment is provided.

I have suffered with my mental health, notably with anxiety and depression, from a young age, but my problems have been further exacerbated by looking at my computer screen alone for hours on end. Making plans with friends seems like a mission for me, I need to factor in travel costs, commute times and whether I’d be home in time for my next class. Having to deal with that has been difficult, I often sit and scroll mindlessly through social media, wondering why everyone else seems to be having such a ‘fun time’ but I’m not. That’s where the anxious thoughts come to attack. Are they having fun because I’m not there? Should I abandon my work and go and join them? Not only am I having to battle with a never-ending stream of work to do, but it’s also coupled with an intense fear of missing out. Although I am immensely glad I stayed at home, it can feel incredibly isolating.

Although, this is an issue that many students are facing, regardless of their living situation. The COVID restrictions and the immense workload are partners in crime. They leave students filled with anxiety and dread. A study published in The Telegraph has shown that Nightline, a phone line run by student volunteers, has reported an increased number of calls this year. Additionally, there have already been a number of deaths on various campuses this year, according to the National Union of Students.

I feel as though the strain that students are under, caused by having to deal with this new method of online teaching as well as the isolation, has to be recognised. More funding should be provided to academic institutions, so there isn’t a waiting list for necessary mental health support, especially during these unprecedented times. To any student who feels the same as I do, rest assured there will be someone to listen to you. You are not alone.