Edmonton post-secondary students share their fears and hopes about returning to the classroom

Edmonton post-secondary students are facing anxieties as they prepare to return to in-person learning this year. Many are hesitant about leaving pandemic precautions behind.

With restrictions being left up to individual institutions, the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge have announced mandates for masking and physical distancing. They are the first post-secondary schools in the province to enforce these measures for the fall.

Three students sat down to share their thoughts about the return to in-person learning — and to offer their reflections on a year of learning online.

Becca Willson is about to complete her final semester at MacEwan University as she works toward a bachelor of communication studies degree in journalism.

Aanchal Dhamija graduated last spring from her two-year business administration program at NorQuest College with a major in accounting. She moved to Edmonton from Punjab, India in the fall of 2019.

Cameron Mark is a professional communications major at MacEwan, currently completing a bachelor of communications studies degree.

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: After spending a year learning online, what are you most looking forward to about returning to in-person learning?

Becca: I just do not focus well at home. Even if the prof is there in front of me teaching a class on Zoom, I found that I was getting distracted or I was just not as engaged as if I had to physically get up, go somewhere, and go to class. 

Honestly, I could have done a lot better at trying to give myself a routine, but I don't really think that's my problem. I'm very environment-oriented. So I'm very excited to be back in a real classroom and have real face-to-face lessons and discussions again.

Cameron: I really like online learning. Having to be at home — I have everything I need here. I think I figured out that I thrive best when I can create my own environment.

The biggest hurdle of getting to school every day was finding a parking spot, and then finding a place to study every day on campus because everything was always full. I find that it's so practical just to be at home all the time.

But if I was to think of one thing I was looking forward to, it would probably be group work assignments. It's harder to communicate ideas and work together on a project than it was before we were online.

Q: What are some of the greatest challenges you've faced while navigating a new country during the pandemic?

Aanchal: It's a completely new country and changing a new country is like changing a whole world for you when you're coming here without your parents … It's the hardest thing that I have ever felt in my life. 

When the pandemic came, online learning just made it worse. I was like, "I'm going to a new country and I will learn by watching the people around me," but I didn't get that chance. 

I thought I would have a lot of English-speaking friends so I can improve my English communication because it's not my first language, so if I talked with them a lot I would improve myself.

Q: How do you feel about returning to in-person learning without pandemic restrictions like masking and physical distancing?

Becca: That scares me a little bit, honestly. We've just been so conditioned to sit so far apart and wear our masks … It's so respectful now that it's kind of nice. 

Having to get these last two classes done and be in a school environment — I don't like the idea of not having to wear masks. Someone could be sitting beside me in a class, knowingly having COVID-19 and not having had to isolate or report it. 

It's a little bit scary right now and not my favourite thing. It doesn't seem like the best way forward.

Cameron: I would feel better if we didn't live in Alberta. The whole "no isolation" rule that's being applied is really scary to me. 

I feel confident because I am double vaxxed, but there's still the risk that you could get sick. Not seriously sick, but … I just worry about the variants.

Q: Did you discover any advantages to online learning that you weren't expecting?

Becca: I did love saving money by driving less and not having to park downtown. When you spend a whole day at school, you buy, like, three meals and three coffees and you just spend so much money, so I did find that was an advantage. 

My maximum before the pandemic was usually three classes at a time so I liked learning that I'm able to handle four classes, but really only when I have nothing else going on. 

Actually, because I was taking four classes and I got pretty good grades. I got on the dean's list. So that was very nice because it was always a goal of mine.

Aanchal: At first, I felt so disheartened because of this online transition, but I decided to make it useful and valuable for me because, I was, like, I want to improve myself for a better future. I came here for a better future, so I cannot stop myself just because of this online transition. 

I was nominated by my instructors to mentor new students who started their journey in their home country. They're doing online studies from there and they don't have any knowledge about how difficult it is to adapt to a new learning system. 

I suggested to them to just grow through whatever comes to you because if we are planning to move to another country, our main purpose is to develop ourselves for a better future. So they're just challenges. It's not permanent. It's just life. 

Q: Did you feel you had enough support over the past year?

Cameron: I feel like I actually got a lot of support. We always complain about that EI [employment insurance] that comes off your paycheque every month, but now I think a lot of us really had to utilize that.

I feel like even teachers were more accessible online than they were before. Sometimes you would just pray that a teacher would email you back before your question's time is up, but now it's like everyone is online so it feels like everyone is more accessible.

Becca: I was living with my best friend in Edmonton, but far away from my family in B.C., so I felt a little bit stressed out. I had support, for sure — family support and friends — but when you are so on your own … My roommate was working an essential job, so she was out all the time. I felt very removed from everything. 

School-wise, I felt like we could have heard more from the administration, in general.You barely even know who the higher ups at MacEwan are, and that would've been such an opportunity to make students feel like we were still very important. 

Aanchal: My brother has already been here for the last four years, so he's supported me in everything. He is my biggest support system. 

And also, my parents — they motivate me each and every step. They do video calls to ask me "How are you doing? How are you feeling?" and they give me solutions. 

Whenever I feel low, they just remind me of my achievements and tell me, "You are stronger than you think."

Q: The last year was quite isolating for many of us, especially when classes can be a huge source for socialization. What did you learn about yourself? 

Aanchal: At the beginning, I thought I could not handle this online learning. I was feeling so disheartened and sad. I felt so dumb sitting at home in a classroom because I had a dream of coming to a new country to study in a new college, but it was completely different. 

So I realized that we have more potential than we realize. Today, I feel so proud of myself. The certificate I got from my college said "Excellence in Leadership" for my mentoring during online studies. 

It made me realize we can do anything as long as we realize our true worth. The main saying I follow in my life is to grow through whatever comes to you, so that's exactly what I was doing.