Pandemic has closed the doors on our peace in many different ways. One thing that all of us in this world share right now, irrespective of age or race, is the anguish and turmoil of what the pandemic crisis has left us with. The most affected slot of people in this whole chaos is the senior students who have been completely incarcerated from their free environment to be cooped up in their homes.
They have been assailed in a way where there is no outlet for them to beat their pressures. Schools have been locked up for a couple of years, and any kind of reveling they usually disport with their gang mates on graduation weeks or parties has also been curtailed since the advent of the pandemic. Health is an important factor that needs scrupulous handling, but cannot be at the cost of distancing the young minds from having their duly deserved social life. They appear to have faced the brunt of this pandemic protocol in a very harsh way where there seems to be no recourse to have it otherwise.
They have been cut out from sports, recreation activities, dating gigs to graduation trips, and so on, which are all supposed to be the age-bound social conventions that liberate them in different ways. The senior students spend their time dreaming about their offline class hours and the halcyon days of being with their friends in the past. When this fate will reverse for the better is still to be known which makes the waiting time a horrible phase to bear.
Depression has taken over their little minds suffusing them with loneliness and frustration ruining their life that has hitherto been a happy stint. The virtual gatherings have given some solace, but it does not substitute the joys of natural live enjoyments. They have not labored so much to have an occasional glimpse of social gathering which is more like a visual fling rather than a full-swing exhilaration.
The next steps:
Since we have established their difficulties in coming to terms with this ongoing stress, what would be our next course of action to mitigate the problem. Even their exams seem to have had a digital transformation where everything is given online. This is such a bizarre and abstract concept that takes the better out of the kids in reality but strikes as something new to be learned in this hard phase.
The decisions about their unprecedented future loom larger in our minds from which college to get admitted to what procedures to follow and so on. Students have missed out on their school visits, and how would they kick start the new life by going virtual in all processes. Setting off to campus would dangle before them like a big issue given the kind of gap they have had in offline visits. All the aspects of starting a new fresh life with all social bonding in prospect, along with the vibe of getting together would thrill their minds to the maximum.
The anxiety that grooms via this process could also be a concern for the missing hours of human connection only amplifies the stress of getting back together. They don’t have the memories of social bonding for a long time now and the revival of that would be a new concept to accept. How do we smoothen this process for them and help them cope with this transition at ease?
Concerns about their mental ability and health:
First and foremost, the students should be given an outlet and liberty to pour their feelings. Even the griefs and sorrows should be blown out of their mind without any restrictions to clear their path of reaching their targets. At the same time, the positive aspect of being able to lead a life amidst all this chaos has to be emphasized to keep their dreams alive. They should set different goals and try to accomplish them. Students should also be allowed to dwell in the virtual world to their satisfaction to establish a connection with the real world as much as they can. They have to be bestowed with a platform to alternate their means of having fun that they are happy to dispose of at their accord.
Forcing or coercing them to complete the activities along with constantly thrusting them with responsibilities would erode their spirits to even lower levels. Since schools have watered down the concepts of exams and grades themselves, pressurizing them to stay ahead would be more futile. They should be given concessions to lead a life that makes them happy once in a while. Letting them out or allowing them to enjoy a virtual party to give them access to some digital shows would go a long way in soothing their minds to deal with all the hardships that surface our times.
The decision about college:
Choosing a college is a big step that requires a lot of self-reflection. It needs a thorough evaluation of their individual mindset and careful analysis of existing colleges to choose the one that they deem fit. These hard times have fueled their stress levels to a horrible degree, and the only way to streamline their life to a good future is by providing them ample time to zero in on their best college. They should be given the leeway to choose their own option of college and none of our decisions should come in the way of their choice. The trust we harbor in them is going to bring home their bright future in all possible ways. Any able guidance or assistance should be offered without any ado to bolster their decisions.
No comparison please:
The worst thought that ever crosses a parent’s mind would be to do an analogy of other kids with theirs. The nature of each individual student has to be different and nothing in common with the flock. The additional pressure of influencing their minds with other people’s success would annihilate the process of growth in children. Parents should be wary enough to let the children be and behave like a spectator to their progress silently. They should be allowed to lead their life while trusting their choice to lead them to success.
Financial Aids:
Any money spent on a good cause is going to reap benefits. Look out for financial aids and grants that you can avail yourself of from the school. A thorough analogy on all the aids and concessions would make you choose the better ones. The quality of the institution precedes the amount of aid it offers. Choose the best one from the lots and inform the organization of your situation to get a good discount on expenses to proceed with the student’s higher studies.
Conclusion:
Pandemic has given us a lesson to foster and nurture the minds of children by helping them steer through testing times. Students face the fire every now and then with all the major decisions that impact their life. There are going to be loads of worries and anxieties when seeking to polish their future to brightness. Hence supporting them at the time of their needs proves critical at best. As they cruise through their adolescence to become adults, every step they take has to be guarded and guided by us to see them achieve their dreams.
