As someone who entered university during the pandemic, I have some qualms about finally coming to school, and I’m sure you do as well.
It is no secret that our lives have drastically changed over the past year and a half. We’ve adapted the way we approach school, relationships, and our personal lives to the online environment. While it may have seemed a bit alien at first, we’ve gotten pretty good at it.
The real question is: how do we survive the real world when we have been stuck at home for so long?
How exactly do we “interact,” again?
I used to be very extroverted, but coming out of the pandemic I am now a homebody who rarely sees her friends. Social interaction scares me and I forgot how to approach people like I used to. If you feel this way, you’re not alone.
When you couldn’t see your friends, you Facetimed them, and when you couldn’t do that, you texted them, and then at some point, it turned into just liking their Instagram posts and missing them.
Now you’re surrounded by so many people that you’re overwhelmed and possibly confused about how you’re supposed to behave.
An article from the BBC states that prolonged isolation negatively affects memory and verbal recall, which in turn, hinders our conversational fluency.
Pre-pandemic, this was no problem — the day-to-day helped us maintain social ease by giving our brains the stimulation it needs. We actually saw and talked to people. Lots of people. Only now, after the copious amount of time we’ve spent indoors, we’re all a little people-anxious, socially awkward, and worried about looking dumb.
That’s okay. Being anxious doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to talk to people. I told myself that on the first day of school I would become friends with the person I sat next to. But when I entered the classroom, everybody was socially distanced, and I once again ended up feeling anxious.
Things like this didn’t stop me though, and they shouldn’t stop you either.
The best way to talk to someone is to say something — anything.
This may sound nerve-wracking, however, the person you approach will appreciate it and probably feel relieved because they’re probably still testing the waters of conversation as well.
Ask them about the course material, make a snarky comment about how much homework you have, ask them what type of classes they’re taking, or even ask them where they’re traveling from. These topics are safe, easy to talk about, and can get the conversation going. At the most basic level, a compliment always does the trick.
Once you have initiated the conversation, it’s likely that the other person now views you as someone they can talk to without feeling socially anxious. That’s great! Achievement unlocked. But don’t stop there.
- Exchange contacts with fellow classmates you meet and arrange lunch dates to try to get to know them better.
- Challenge yourself to initiate a conversation with someone every time you go out, even if it’s a simple, “hello.”
- Get involved with active clubs and go to events they host, there will be plenty of people to mingle with there.
Make an effort to not just survive university, but thrive. Put yourself out there and exercise your chit-chat muscles, because who knows? You might just make a life-long friend in the process.
Leaving the Zoom Lecture Hall
Now that you grasped the foundation of social interaction, the real mystery to be solved is what to do about your studies.
Online school was something that many of us were unfamiliar with before the pandemic. Distance education courses have always existed but 3:00 pm Zoom lectures on your bed were not always in the picture.
I’m sure we all did things that we weren’t proud of during our online learning (watching Netflix during class, never watching the posted lectures, finding the answers on Quizlet), but this in-person stuff is for real. This means that you can no longer mute your teacher when they’re talking and you can’t sleep in class because the lectures aren’t recorded anymore.
The benefits of in-person classes, however, are pretty good.
You can actually talk to your classmates about the material. Study groups are an excellent way to make friends and stay focused. Your professor is finally accessible and you no longer have to go to weird office hours when they’re in the classroom with you.
If there is one thing I have learned over the years it is that you have to ask questions. If you’re too nervous to ask in a group setting, try messaging one of your classmates later on. If you don’t feel like raising your hand, talk to the professor after class.
The reason this is so important is that there is no clarification online anymore. Your course material is given in a lecture and your syllabus isn’t that detailed anymore.
When you ask a question, you hear the actual truth about the course, not what a random website you found online says about it.
How do you study on your own?
Maybe you’re not one for group sessions because you get distracted. One of the best methods that I use to stay focused is to leave my house. When I am home I get too comfortable which makes it easier for me to procrastinate and get distracted. Studying at the library or at a cafe is the best because everyone around you is already studying, which can give you motivation.
Using the Pomodoro timer is a very common study method that helps with allocating time. It is a 25-minute timer for studying and then a 5-minute timer for a break. This works for many people, but I adjusted it to fit my needs and you can too. When I was on crunch time for finals last semester I would have 6-10 hour study sessions in one sitting. I would work hard for about 2 hours and then take a 30-minute break and then repeat.
Everybody has different study habits and different things that work for them. Different disciplines have different material which leads to different study methods. Try out something new. But most importantly, find what works for you.
Final Words
Now that you have the foundation and the understanding of back to school, don’t be too anxious about what is in store. The truth is everybody is asking that same question which means that you have nothing to be anxious about. It’s like when you feel embarrassed if you trip and fall but you are less likely to feel that embarrassment if everyone else also trips and falls.
About the Author
Celina Bismel is a 4th year student at SFU majoring in English who hopes to become a teacher in the future. She is passionate about helping others grow and finding their potential. She loves sweets so if you see her around please offer her some.