Blogs

I remember waking up one Friday morning in February to a notice from my university, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), informing me that I was to be placed on a leave of absence (LOA) with immediate effect. One of my classmates had tested positive for Covid-19 and had been admitted to hospital for treatment.

In line with the measures put in place by Singapore’s Ministry of Health at the time, SIT had mandated that the entire cohort of Year 3 telematics students were to be placed on LOA. We were also reminded to seek medical treatment should we feel unwell.

Who could have known that the last time I jogged along La Garonne would be the last time I jogged along La Garonne?

No time to wave goodbye to the enchanting city of Bordeaux where I had lived for seven months, nor to set foot again in the bakery where I went for baguettes. The coronavirus outbreak had brought my exchange year to a halt.

But not unexpectedly, to be frank.

If you’re on social media, I’m sure you’ve seen many people sharing images stating that a global lockdown is the perfect time to be productive. All this extra time that you now have at home is the optimum time to cross a few things off of your life to-do list.

If you’ve ever harboured the desire to learn a new language, start a podcast, read loads of books, spring clean your space, start cross-stitching – well apparently now is the time to do all of those things.

While universities and colleges around the world grapple with the economic effects of the coronavirus, many may not be thinking about the emotional impact this will be having on university and college students.

Many people are self-isolating, maintaining social and physical distancing and enjoying the cosiness of their homes, which is absolutely necessary in this time of crisis. But it is still taking some time to get used to this. 

Content warning: eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety

The global outbreak of the novel coronavirus has led to widespread fear, uncertainty, and upheaval of routines and systems. There have been critical effects on occupational, educational, and social functioning, in addition to the obvious health risk.

Coronavirus has shaken us all, it’s impacted everyone in some way and I’ve been no exception. I go to Cardiff University, and the changes I’ve seen on campus have been vast. We never anticipated that we would have been affected on the scale that we have. It seems to have all come at once, and many students feel worried about their futures.

My student journey took a different course from those of my peers. Having completed my schooling in Sri Lanka, I decided that I wasn’t ready for university yet and wanted to learn alternatively – to get a taste of the “real world” stuff.

I entered the workforce as an 18-year-old and five years later built my professional work experience in the Sri Lankan tourism industry. This was through hands-on learning, and it significantly contributed to the development of skills and character through my work in client interface.

Some people say the hardest part of being an international student in Canada is learning the language, some say it’s getting used to the winter, but I think it’s being able to fit into the culture and adapt to the changes.

It was last Friday before the start of clinical placements when I received the news that Singapore had raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level to Orange.

In preparation for my work-study placement, I had shifted my uniforms to the side of my closet, hoping to save a few minutes in the mornings. Notes had been compiled and categorised in print and digital formats. I had even drawn up a timetable to keep track of submissions and evaluations. I was ready, but DORSCON Orange changed everything.