Students Miss AUC Campus and All it had to Offer

By: Dahlia El Kayar
@el_kayar

With precautions such as social distancing and quarantine against COVID-19 unlikely to end soon, many students are saying they miss being physically on campus, attending classes, meeting their friends and even preparing for their graduation.

The class of 2020 didn’t get their final chance to make the most of their last year on campus and some of the graduating seniors say they regret taking the littlest of things for granted more so for not knowing what was coming next.

“I am still shocked that I didn’t get to say goodbye,” says MICT Graduating Senior Nada Mahmoud

“The lockdown made me realize how much I love AUC and the fact that I took many things for granted such as going to classes, assembly hours, office hours and of course socializing with my colleagues and friends,’’ she added.

Many students who have spoken to The Caravan say they feel the positive impact that socializing on campus or meeting with faculty and staff to discuss academic challenges once had on their lives.

While graduating seniors are frustrated that their final semester was spent in quarantine, other students say they continue to face difficulties dealing with the pressures of the sudden restrictions to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

More than a month-and-a-half has passed since AUC’s campus shutdown, and with the ongoing pandemic a lot of students are still struggling to cope with new academic realities, such as online learning, which can result in students panicking, feeling fear and in severe cases even cause nervous breakdowns.

The online transition, losing track of time, staying home for weeks and the uncertainty of when we will return back to campus has impacted students on both their academic performance and levels of productivity.

“My mental health is deteriorating, because I feel the pressure of getting good grades, coping with a pandemic, being stuck at home against my will and not having time for myself,’’ said Mena Kamel, a junior student in Communication and Media Arts.

Students like Kamel would ordinarily turn to the Center for Student Well-Being (CSW) at AUC which for many has built a reputation over the years for being the second home for many students facing personal, cognitive and academic challenges.

But now, with the CSW closed on campus, students are finding another obstacle to maintain some sense of normalcy.

CSW Senior Counselor Amal Badeeb said that as soon as the university announced its switch to E-Learning, all counselors instantly emailed and turned to their clients to resume their counseling sessions remotely.

Moreover, new clients are now able to schedule appointments through an online system found on the CSW’s page, not only are counseling sessions available but also online workshops such as the Art Therapy workshop held on April 29.

“The lack of change is making us unproductive, the change in the level of socialisation, the change of the physical activity can cause or increase anxiety,” Badeeb said.

She advised students to reduce their social media usage because the internet is bombarded with COVID-19 news causing a lot of people to panic moreover trigger anxiety and depression.

Instead, students should make use of the quarantine balancing activities (such as home workouts) and relaxation during these difficult times.

“This time is full of uncertainties and no one know what will unfold. Plan week by week and think of what you can do over a couple of days,” CSW Senior Counselor Marwa Hussein said.

Both counselors alongside the rest of the CSW members remain dedicated to being there and available for their current and new students.

“It’s strongly recommended not to sit at home thinking or worrying about the dangers of COVID-19 but to do useful activities which can pass time and distract one from their negative thoughts. Activities, such as exercising, cooking, tidying up, sorting your stuff, etc,” Hussein added.

“I’m providing my students with regular counseling. I assured them that I’m available for help or support whenever they need me. My colleagues and myself are happy to help new students . We are providing online workshops for all students,“ added Hussein.