Omicron variant takes toll on mental health of post-secondary students

Since the COVID-19 pandemic was first declared in 2020 by the World Health Organization, students have faced unprecedented lockdowns, several difficulties created from remote learning and are now facing yet another challenge presented by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Many post-secondary students across Ontario have been trying to find ways to navigate and cope through the challenges and stressors presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The emergence of the new COVID-19 Omicron variant has negatively impacted the mental health of many post-secondary students across the province. According to a recent poll conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 50 per cent of Canadians reported worsening mental health since the pandemic began. Many students are fearing the impact on their graduation requirements and others are dealing with lingering distress and barriers created from remote learning.

Post-secondary students, including Sameen Ali are facing the negative effects due to lack of face-to-face communication and interaction in her studies. Ali is a second-year student at York University and was hoping to have more in person classes this winter. When asked Ali how she feels about remote learning, she said “learning from platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams don’t allow me to feel like I’m being able to engage and connect with my classmates or my instructors.”

Students, including Ali, are facing the challenges and negative effects of not being stimulated enough to their studies because of multiple factors such as not being able to connect with peers, instructors and environmental distractions that are associated with remote learning.

Students are seeing a negative reflection on their academic performance with remote learning and grades plummeting. “It is harder to grasp material and learn content by yourself online versus material learned in-person and this has made it more challenging to receive the grades I hoped to achieve,” Ali said. “Not being able to ask my instructors or even my peers for questions and clarifications in real time really turns things around for the worse.”

Many students are facing difficulties with their focus and of understanding material from learning behind a screen at home. “It is hard to tune into online live lectures with my siblings who are also at home and in classes,” Ali said. It is even harder to engage with my peers and form connections when I am looking at black screens with names written, which feels equivalent to being alone.”

A fourth-year student from Ryerson university who asked to stay anonymous for privacy reasons fears if they will be able to meet their anticipated graduation timeline. The student said, “the Omicron variant closed many doors of potential internship opportunities, and I was not able to land a placement this term.” When the student was asked what the result will be of this outcome they said, “if I do not land a placement in the next few weeks I might have to stay for an additional semester in the summer or fall to complete my placement credit and apply for graduation.”

It’s not just a strain on their mental health. It is a strain on their pocketbook.

Despite the reopening of in-person classes back in fall, many students have concerns towards what holds for the remaining of the winter term. Several post-secondary institutions including Ryerson have announced changes to the winter term due to the on-going concerns over Omicron.

“This might be one of my last semesters at university and sadly it has been feeling like a repetitive cycle having classes back online just like it was back in 2020,” the Ryerson student said. “This is not how I imagined spending some of my remaining semesters that should have been far more memorable.”

The Ryerson student said, “I have joined a few virtual clubs with my school to meet new people and socialize but it does not feel the same as interacting with people in person and does not hold the same effect.” Just like this student, several others are trying to find opportunities to talk with their peers and to ultimately gain a sense of connection ­— although behind a screen.

The impacts on mental health created by the Omicron variant persist and have increased the difficulties which many post-secondary students are facing. Students hope to resume back to face-to-face learning and benefit from the vital aspects of in-person interaction. Students look forward to returning to a normal school routine and re-experience interacting with their peers and instructors to form meaningful connections.