By Daniëlle Gerber
The articles posted on The Stellenbosch usually follow a more factual or removed-from-my-life structure, however, the COVID-19 pandemic had some personal implications, both positive and negative, which I would like to explore. Find in this narrative reflection an exploration of my experience as a Stellenbosch University student during the pandemic. This serves the purpose of giving insight into the student experience during a time of uncertainty and global adaption to a new normal.
I started my studies in 2020 when our year group had a month of studies before the national lockdown. This resulted in a rapid adaption of studies and work moving towards online platforms. I am sure that all students can agree that there was a SUNLearn and MS applications overload! There were many repercussions to the pandemic that altered daily life, as well as some holding permanent effects.
Some of the repercussions:
- Student drop-outs
Within my field, we had nearly half of the initially enrolled students dropped out by the third year due to the difficulty faced by remote learning. As I did a diploma which is more practical, this new online way of study could not necessarily mimic the interactive and engaging elements of in-person classes and facilitations.
Additionally, many of my classmates also developed their own businesses during COVID due to the extra free/flexible time. This caused them to pursue business opportunities rather than return to classes, weighing the opportunity cost. This resulted in a reduced class culture as the learning experience was painted more individually.
- No/little social life
If you have ever heard someone talk about their university experience, you are bound to have heard about their booming social lives, late-night partying, and copious networking events. The COVID students did not quite have this experience, as there were reduced opportunities to meet new people, and even if you had made some friends already, very few stayed in Stellenbosch to build in-person relationships.
On the flip side, the lockdown period provided more opportunities to connect with your household and local community, which could also be beneficial relationships to have built. Additionally, it also supplied more time for introspection, which could be valuable in this phase of life where many decisions about future careers and lifestyles are made.
- Accommodation uncertainty
Alongside the uncertainty of whether in-person classes would be reintroduced came the uncertainty of accommodation – to get or not to get. I know many students who had paid for apartments only for them to be empty for the entirety of 2020. A similar situation was true for 2021, as neither the university nor our country could predict what the future would look like. At the end of 2022, despite the economic climate, the pandemic seems like it never happened – gone are masks and sanitizers at the front of shops. While it may seem like a fever dream, some repercussions are definite – as highlighted in this reflection of a student who studied during the COVID-19 pandemic.
