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Thread about "student life" during the Covid-19 pandemic, by a student experiencing "student life" during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government has paid students very little attention since Covid-19 came into our lives, and many of us have been told to “suck it up” when we have expressed our upset that this academic year has not ended in the way we intended it to.
We have been told “it could be worse” or “at least nobody has died”, but the truth is, for some students, the current situation they are in is the worst it could be, or they do unfortunately know people who have passed away; but we have still pushed on to complete assignments...
dissertations, and in some cases, our degrees. We have held onto that little piece of normality, what we know - working hard - to keep us going.
Celebrations have been cancelled - end of year balls, trips to stay in our friends’ hometowns, holidays abroad and graduations. Yes, these celebrations will eventually be able to happen, but the uncertainty of whether we will have been in a job for a year and a half before...
we ‘graduate’ or whether the Class of 2020 will even be able to secure a career anytime soon is enough uncertainty to make us anxious about what is ahead. Despite this, we have all still achieved a hell of a lot, Covid-19 or not - and it deserves to be celebrated.
If you are a first year who has had your first year cut short - you have still completed your first year of assignments, moved away for the first time and made friends to last you a lifetime.
If you are a second year whose year took an unexpected end - you have still made it at least halfway through university and submitted important assignments under the current pressures.
If you were spending the year abroad and have had to return home early - you have still gained invaluable experiences, life-long friends and memories.
If you are a finalist whose university journey has ended abruptly - you have still completed your degree, handed in your dissertation, and submitted those final assignments without resources, the usual support or ideal surroundings.
And if you’re a postgraduate student, you will still be struggling in these current times, still trying to get dissertations and work completed without knowing when the end will come. But, the hard work will pay off and eventually, you will be able to celebrate.
This current situation does not diminish any of our achievements, nor mean that they should not be celebrated. Celebrate with your friends and family, whether in person (if you live with them!) or from a distance, virtually. It isn’t the same, but...
it is important to recognise our successes in order for there to be more in the future.
If you are still reading this wondering what students have to be complaining about, just consider that each individual human has a right to be upset about something which has hurt them - no matter how ‘big’ or ‘small’ it may seem.
Just because someone has two broken arms, doesn’t mean my one broken arm doesn’t hurt.
