As the Corona Virus Pandemic rapidly sweeps across the world, it is inducing a considerable degree of fear, worry and concern in the population at large. The mental health of many is impacted psychologically as a result of elevated rates of stress and anxiety. As present in Sri Lanka, new measures of lockdown are being conducted every so often that it implicates a bundle of concern considering its effect on people’s usual activities, routines and livelihood. Of many groups of people affected, students, in particular, who are going to school or university are facing a new aspect when in terms of their learning environment. Maintaining mental health when studying at home while following classes online on an electronic device or attempting an online exam, may be difficult to cope with. However, it may be the complete opposite of many others. In Sri Lanka, the ability for a student to sit down and talk about their satisfactions or concerns regarding online education during a pandemic is limited due to a less open approach. That is why SIST was able to conduct a counseling session, while preserving a positive attitude amongst the lockdown, through Zoom where all students of SIST were invited to participate.
In commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Spectrum Institute of Science & Technology, the Spectrum Student’s Society board of 2020/2021 organized a counseling session on ‘Education during the pandemic and maintaining mental health’ for SIST students in hopes of carrying out their studies in a healthy manner. This session took place on June 9th, 2021 and was conducted by Mrs. Sarla Williams, a former teacher, chaplain, and school counselor at Methodist College for 19 years until she retired in April of 2021. Prior to the zoom session, there was a questionnaire sent to all SIST students to answer regarding their opinions on how this pandemic has affected their education experience thus far. Mrs. Sarla Williams was able to go through the answers and was able to advise her thoughts and assumptions on a positive remark.
She was kind enough to prepare a presentation for us during the session, which was about the many ways to cope with online learning when mental health takes its toll. She talked about how feeling anxious during this time is completely normal and that everyone is going through it but in different ways. The coping mechanisms of each individual may also differ in terms of their interests and likings. The short yet informative presentation displayed many advices and ways to prevent anxiety. She spoke of creating distractions by reading a book, watching a movie or finding out a hobby you love. Amongst limited social interactions as a result of the lockdown, connecting with your friends or family via video call would also be a way to create distractions for yourself when anxiety hits. Most importantly, she spoke about focusing on ourselves and that our mental health is our number one priority. She told us to stop putting ourselves down and feeling insecure surrounding what is depicted on social media and the unrealistic outcomes it displays. She also told us to feel our feelings no matter it being overwhelming and to find ways to release emotions, through activities that make us happy.
She then concluded the presentation by teaching us various steps toward building resilience alongside summarizing everything she had explained. This included tactics such as
1. Being Cognitive, where she spoke of focusing on our goals, priorities and how we each see our own world, individually.
2. Social Factors, in which can be helpful to maintain connections with friends and family. Due to more time spent at home, family gatherings along with healthy conversations may be easily made.
3. Emotions, in which can be made through understanding ourselves better as well as spiritually enforcing a better connection with our beliefs.
4. Being Physical, where introducing a routine and setting up boundaries become important. This includes exercising, having a healthy diet and getting proper sleep.
This informative session conducted by Mrs. Sarla Williams was immensely helpful, especially during this situation. The committee and the students of SIST were grateful to have a rare experience around counseling on such a wide yet unspoken topic. The lessons learnt on the importance of our mental wellbeing were very well understood and that no matter what circumstance, there will always be a good and a bad.
A few students reached out to us anonymously to tell us how valuable the following effort was:
" When she told about having a balance between physical life and mental life is important and you shouldn't neglect any part of it, it really hit me. There were some stuff that I went through with finance problems and my poor academic performance but I just ignored how it made me feel and just distracted myself with more work. It didn't help me because it just made me question how I am performing and I was not concentrating, etc. She told to process how I am feeling. I never did that. I just pushed my feelings away. So after the workshop I cried. A lot. This is not easy to do for me haha!! but I cried so much and it felt so good."" The second lockdown had taken a toll which was worst for me than the previous one. Getting a chance to tell someone about this and share thoughts with many people made me feel as if I was not alone in this hard situation. I also got many ideas to keep myself busy and active while being stuck at home. Some practices which I have already put into action. It was indeed very supportive in this time of dire need."
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