Mental Health Awareness Week: How university students' mental health is being affected by Covid-19

First year disruption

Bede Brown, a first year student at the University of Otago studying Law and History, had just moved into his hall of residence, when the first nationwide lockdown was imposed at the end of March. What was shaping up to be an exciting year quickly changed almost overnight, and the student community was thrown into disarray as students frantically tried to make their way home before level four lockdown began.

"We'd only been in the halls for a little over a month, so we'd just met new friends and it was quite disruptive for a lot of people. If felt like we were missing out on the opportunity to make those significant life-long friendships. 

"That week when we were all waiting to hear what was going to happen was stressful. Lots of us didn't know if we were going home or not, it was that feeling of uncertainty that the whole country was having. 

"I remember watching the press conference when Jacinda announced that we were going into lockdown and there was a bit of a frenzy at my hall. Everyone was on Air New Zealand trying to book flights home, people were crying, it was pretty stressful," Bede says. 

Avoidable panic

Many University of Otago students like Bede felt the university was too slow to make decisions, resulting in the added pressure of trying to get home within 48 hours of lockdown being announced, on top of the already stressful situation. 

The Spinoff reported that of the university's 20,000 students, only around 3,000 have a home base in the Otago region and for thousands of other students, getting home to their families before the deadline became a priority. 

An Otago student told The Spinoff that students would have liked to be able to make their travel plans earlier but the delay in moving studies online meant that compulsory tutorials were still running on the Friday prior to lockdown. 

"If the university had cancelled these tutorials and started online-only study just days quicker, it would have saved the massive panic for the thousands of students who chose to return to their families," she said. 

Mixed experiences

As a first-year, once the dust had settled and Bede was studying by distance at his parent's home in Wellington, he said he found it quite easy as he had no distractions and was able to concentrate on his studies. 

"We'd only had lectures for a few weeks before lockdown, so I was still getting into the swing of things. I found studying at home pretty easy and I was more productive – it just kind of felt like I was back in high school. I actually ended up getting better grades when I was studying at home."

After the initial scramble to set up new ways to work online and from home, some tertiary providers including the University of Otago, set up support networks and implemented wellbeing checks for vulnerable students stuck in university cities without family support. 

Student experiences' were mixed. Many felt well supported and communicated with by their tertiary institution while others felt let down by a lack of communication or frustrated by the slow decision-making. 

A veterinary student told The Spinoff that she was impressed by the way Massey University in Palmerston North had supported its students. Online counselling was available and students received regular updates on changes and what they would mean. 

However, a report by New Zealand Union of Students' Associations found financial worries, high stress levels and anxiety about the future were the major impacts of Covid-19 on tertiary students' wellbeing. 

Resilience, empathy and patience

The pandemic had some negative consequences on learning but also taught some valuable lessons. 

Maithreyi Sundaresan, Massey University Veterinary Students' Association president and fourth-year veterinary student saw her classmates struggle mentally throughout the pandemic – but she's also learned some new skills and found some silver linings in the situation. 

Some of her classmates had to say goodbye to overseas placements and others were stranded in New Zealand unable to visit their families. She says it has made her and her peers more aware of their mental health needs. 

"2020 is the year of resilience for everyone I think. The biggest adjustment was getting used to distance learning and the way our study has changed as a result of that. Most of us think of our home as our sanctuary – so to have your sanctuary turned into your primary study area has been difficult for many of us. 

"Understandably these changes have meant we have had to be much more aware of our mental health and consciously take steps to monitor ourselves and those around us," she says.

Ruby Wills, a fifth-year dentistry student at Unviersity of Otago and president of the New Zealand Dentist Student Association says she has become much more resilient to life's curveballs. 

"I have learnt the importance of support and how many difference forms this can be offered in. 2020 was a year where it was really easy to feel isolated and alone. Human contact in all of its forms is such a blessing and I certainly won't be taking it for granted again. 

"Despite the hard times and stresses this year has thrown at me, learning how to roll with the punches and enjoy the exciting ups and inevitable downs of life has been a really important lesson," she says. 

Maithreyi says it has forced her to quickly learn resilience, empathy, flexibility, patience and kindness – attributes which will be useful when entering the workforce next year. 

"A global pandemic is an experience that will define all of us. We have had to learn to adapt to things at short notice and make the best of whatever situation we are in. We have had to learn how to be creative with our own learning and to a certain extent, take ownership of our education. 

"We have also had to learn how to be more empathetic, which I think is the most important life skill I have gained from this situation," she says.