The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the ways university students go about their lives.
Who knew, in early 2020 that the bulk of our learning and socialising would take place on Zoom (did we even know what Zoom was back then?). Or that once dormant hobbies, such as baking and painting, would become so important to our mental health over the past year? Or that it would be normal to spend the majority of your life within the four walls of your home?
It’s been a year since Covid-19 was declared a pandemic and university students’ lives were turned upside down. The shift to online learning was a challenge for many, while others had to make the difficult decision of whether to stay at their university or travel home to their families.
We asked some students who wrote blogs last year to share an update on how things have changed in the past year and what they have learnt from 12 months of studying online and social distancing.
The UK officially left the Erasmus+ programme on 1 January 2021.
Being in lockdown has been a difficult situation for everyone, however I have found it additionally difficult because I have also had to complete a dissertation project. Like many other students, I found myself in a new place where I needed to handle both the Covid-19 pandemic and university stress.
This is why it is vital to talk about the well-being of students, especially those in their final year who are writing up their dissertation.
Sunny Liu is a Master of Teaching student at Charles Darwin University in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Having lived in Australia for almost seven years, Sunny moved from Melbourne to Darwin in July 2019 and fell in love with the lifestyle, scenery and welcoming local community.
Indian students who choose to study abroad have a lot to look forward to. They will learn in new teaching environments and encounter more diverse curricula. When students cross borders, they have the opportunity to tailor their academic life to their interests and career ambitions – and the cross-cultural experience off-campus can be just as rewarding. But before choosing a destination for study, there is much to consider.
I couldn’t have imagined what experience I’d have as an international master’s student at Oxford Brookes University. Looking back, it kick-started my passion of incorporating diversity and inclusion in marketing and ultimately led me to start a new company called Equalify Marketing Ltd.
To add in a little bit of background about myself, I am Sri Lankan but mostly lived in California and Monterrey, Mexico, while growing up.
If you’re considering studying abroad in the next year or so, you probably have many questions around what it is like on campus at the moment. How do you apply? What are lectures like? How do you make friends?
Well, we bought together a few international students, some of whom are studying from home and some who are staying on campus in the UK, US and Canada, to answer some of these questions. They cover many topics, including making friends, the application process, how to choose the right university for you and how to handle homesickness.
The Covid-19 pandemic has redefined the typical college experience for international students. As a first-year international student at the University of California, San Diego, I have not yet had the chance to visit the campus, nor meet any of my classmates in person. Instead, I learned from home in Canada.
I’ve studied at various international schools in the Middle East for the past 15 years, from primary education all the way to A level. I later embarked on the exciting journey to study at the University of Reading in the UK. It’s been a rewarding experience.