In the past year, our entire world has been completely turned upside-down by an unforeseen disaster, forcing California to be locked down in quarantine for an undetermined amount of time. Amid the worst pandemic since 1918, a new generation of college students had no clue how to cope with this type of nightmare.

For most Sonoma State students, the Coronavirus pandemic couldn’t have come at a worse time. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented college students with a plethora of obstacles, and many college students are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt to the new style of studying virtually. Prior to the lockdowns, Seawolves would hang out at the Recreation center, Lobo’s, or Charlie Brown’s to study with friends, but this has all become a thing of the past. Though the safety precautions are necessary, they have seriously impacted students’ mental health. 

Moving classes from an interactive and engaging environment to an extremely isolated one has proven to be a challenge for many. Only being able to see classmates once or twice a week via Zoom makes it difficult for individuals to stay engaged with their peers, as well as to stay caught up with what is expected of them. One of the biggest struggles is being able to keep focus during Zoom classes. While many professors require cameras to be on for the duration of class, students are often still distracted by what’s around them. Whether it be other people in their house, or just simply their own technology, it’s easier to fall behind when learning virtually.

There are a variety of issues that have deeply affected students in the past two semesters, but a severe lack of motivation is definitely the most common. It’s way too convenient to just stay in bed and relax in your pajamas during class, and a year ago, this would be a dream come true. However, a year into the pandemic, this dream is turning into a nightmare for Seawolves, especially in terms of mental health and staying motivated enough to get their school work done. 

Being stuck in front of a screen for hours while listening to a lecture is detrimental to everyone involved. Some students are sitting in front of a screen for a three hour class, and then have six hours of homework left to do after that. Taking a look at how much screen time that really is, it’s no wonder that young people are getting so easily burnt out and unmotivated during online classes. Whether you’re a teacher trying to get all of your students engaged and present or a student struggling to pay attention, Zoom classes are definitely not the most productive for either party.

With graduation looming closer, many seniors are afraid of taking the next step into the ‘real world.’ Being stuck in this virtual era has halted a lot of career and internship opportunities, which puts the graduating class at a severe disadvantage. On top of this, Seawolves are unsure if they will even be able to walk at graduation, which is a huge stressor on top of finishing up their classes. Graduation is a milestone for everyone, and is what every college student looks forward to. Unfortunately, for graduating seniors this year, being restricted from having a ceremony is a dreadfully realistic thought.

On the other hand, some freshmen are more than halfway through their first year at college, and they haven’t even gotten to spend any time at SSU. Being able to walk around campus and smile and wave at other students is part of the ‘college experience,’ as well as being able to meet friends in in-person classes. All of this has been stripped away from the incoming class of Seawolves, with no definite date on when we’ll be able to resume in-person instruction.

All in all, going virtual is a compromise that the CSU system had to make in order to further college students’ education while keeping everyone safe, but the transition has been anything but easy, for most. It’s important to sympathize with those who aren’t used to this type of learning environment, and recognize that mental health, as well as motivation, has seriously plummeted during this pandemic. As vaccines are being rolled out over the next few months, Seawolves remain hopeful that we will be able to return to a sense of normalcy soon.