AUC students’ perspective on studying during a pandemic

Author: AUC Graduate Assistant Koh Okuno (class of 2021)

Approaching two years since the Covid-19 pandemic hit Europe, the unprecedented lockdowns and the acceleration of societal digitalization has changed the landscape of higher education. In light of what seems to be an exit out of the pandemic, AUC has decided to explore how life for our students has changed as a result of the pandemic.

We interviewed three students from the Class of 2022: Anthony Girgis, a Humanities major from Egypt, Lidewij van der Vaart, a Social Science major from the Netherlands, and Anna Zoeller, a German Social Science major who went abroad to Boston College in the US last semester.

 Adjustments to the Digital Realm

Shifting classes to an online format at a comprehensive scale was an unprecedented development in higher education. Not surprisingly, for many AUC students this was the toughest academic challenge during the first wave of infections that forced the initial lockdown in the Netherlands. When interacting with peers and professors, many students felt a forced distance between themselves and the rest of the class on the computer screen.

 "It was just difficult for conversations to naturally flow, you always kind of appointed someone to speak next and then next. I think it also made a lot of people feel much more on the spot." said Lidewij, who feels that she missed out on the physically engaging aspects of college that she really looked forward to when coming to AUC. However, some students seem to have been less affected by the digital adaptation for classes.

 Anthony, for one, found that his lecturers had the biggest impact on whether he enjoyed his classes, "I think it all came down to the teacher at the end. I think the online platform did change the class but the teacher was still the same so for the teachers that I enjoyed having physically, I enjoyed online you know?" He added that while he could still enjoy certain classes, he was distracted by his phone and laptop more often.

 Despite this increased difficulty to concentrate, it was surprising to hear that some students benefited from improved academic performance because of the pandemic. Lidewij believes that in her second year, she found a rhythm and strategy in organizing her time and energy to study, which she attributes to the lack of social distractions that left her awake until late at night. Anthony also shares this reflection about additional time, though he utilized much of this opportunity to deepen, explore and enact his passion for music on top of studying.

 College Expectations vs Reality

With the shift of academic activities to the digital realm, the students we interviewed found their expectations of college life to not eventuate when the pandemic hit.

 Anna lamented, "In my head, I had this idea that I will meet the friend group for my life and have an amazing experience at AUC. But when the pandemic hit, and everyone was going back and forth to their home, I started to feel isolated." She was one of the few students who went on study abroad last semester in search of the college experience she missed out on. Her destination: Boston College in the US, where it seemed like covid-19 didn't exist. During her four and a half months, she found a great group of exchange students who she went on trips to Niagara falls and New York City with, all the while taking stimulating electives at Boston College.

 She believes that the study abroad helped her gain independence, "I had to do a lot of things in preparation. From organizing the sublet, getting the visa, finding housing in Boston, and living with strangers.” The lax health regulations in the U.S., which she was initially shocked by as a European exchange student, allowed for her to gain an experience she otherwise couldn't have if she hadn't gone abroad.

 Anthony and Lidewij share Anna’s disappointment rooted with the difference between their expectations and the covid-19 reality. For Lidewij, one aspect of this disappointment came from the lack of opportunities to get to know the city she lived in. "The other day, I realized that I actually didn't even know Amsterdam that well because, well, most places were closed while I was living here."

 Conclusion

With rumors that covid-19 will be registered as an endemic disease, it seems that the cohorts of the pandemic graduates are nearing an end, making these students’ experiences unique. While they agree that their college experience was tough, it has undoubtedly brought positive changes in their life.

 "I think if you collectively experience something so intense, unique, and overwhelming, then it helps you bond together because it reminds you that you're not alone in going through a tough time," said Lidewij, who has gained a fresh outlook on her social life and needs. Anna shares this sentiment despite being in Boston for only four and a half months, she was able to share her struggles with the special group of exchange students she's found.

 For these three students, their outlook on their future remains positive despite all they've been through. When asked about having any regrets, Anthony replied, "Of course you have these thoughts that say I could have gone to so many more concerts and dorm parties, especially if you're wide lensing your life, but I think for many of us, it just makes us appreciate the social opportunities that are coming back now."