Student Life in times of Coronavirus

While the entire world is in havoc because of the sudden outbreak of the novel Coronavirus, or COVID - 19, student life in various parts of the world has also taken a major hit. With colleges and universities shut and hostels vacated, students are living in an unwelcomed dilemma of what will happen next. And though teachers have shifted to online means of teaching and conducting assessments, students worldwide are only left to wonder how long they’ll be required to stay in this mare’s nest. 

Shedding light on the chaos this unprecedented disease has created in the student life, Ruchika Agrawal, a first-year student at FMS Delhi, who recently headed back to her hometown - Jharkhand, expresses her views on the current situation of students. While the institute declared a shutdown on 14th March, the students of her hostel, VKRV Rao that accommodates 30 students, were asked to vacate their rooms 2-3 days back. 

“A lot of uncertainty prevailed in the last few days and we were unsure whether or not we would be able to make it back to our respective homes. The exams have been postponed until further notice and teachers have been conducting classes and viva via online apps like Zoom. The technique is new to many teachers but the MIS (Management Information System) team is ensuring that things run smoothly”, she said.

Adding the fact about cancellation of several flights, Ruchika said, “When I reached the airport to catch my flight back to my hometown, I noticed that around 10-11 Indigo flights had been cancelled. I was really worried until I reached home yesterday”. 

The uncertainty has also affected students adversely, leaving them unsure about heading back home. Mentioning the story of a friend, Ruchika added, “A friend of mine hails from North-East, where the airport checks have levelled up. So, he wasn’t able to decide if or not he should go back, because that might add another problem for his family”.  

Ruchika belongs to Jharkhand, a place where cases of novel Coronavirus haven’t yet been detected. In light of this information, she says, “People should act like responsible citizens of the country. Fortunately, no cases of the disease have turned up in my town and I dearly hope that it stays that way”. 

In addition to stating how hard it is to focus on academics at home, she raised a few other concerns her friends are facing. “Another friend of mine is from XLRI where the convocation was supposed to take place in the coming days. Keeping the current state in mind, their convocation has been postponed until further notice which has added to her dilemma of whether or not she would receive the degree on time”, said Ruchika in light to the affect on the student life.  

Speaking about the quarantine facilities, Ruchika also highlighted the fact that the guest houses of IIT Bombay have been vacated to make room for people who are in dire need of quarantine facilities. 

With an inclination towards cooking, Ruchika is utilizing her time to add more calibre to her skills. She has also started preparing for her internship which is scheduled to begin sometime in the next month at a leading conglomerate. Numerous students like her are taking time off from their normal routines and are making use of the quarantine period to work on their hobbies, trying to explore what they like and where their passion lies. 

A crucial time for the entire world, we must all stand strong to fight this deadly disease. Stay home, wash your hands frequently, take the necessary precautions and avoid going out unless it is absolutely necessary. If we all make informed decisions and abide by the rules laid by doctors and the government, we will make it to the other side without much chaos. Take care!