Is College Covid-Covered ?

Everyone has been talking about the inexplicable impact Covid-19 has on nearly all matters. Getting used to the #NewNormal, accepting the fact that coronavirus is something that’s going to stay with us like Alan did with Charlie . But let’s go back to the beginning:

'Lockdown declared amid Covid-19 fears, all educational institutions shut down effective immediately.’

What about the exams?

What about the lectures?

What about the results?

What about the farewell?

What about the new comers?

Want to know how we are conquering and facing the new challenges due to the virus? This is exactly where you will find your answers since we are #adoptingandeducating since 1981.

#Covid-Cover1:

The first Covid-cover would be about how immediately the college took actions and precautions and shut down its operations even though it’s known for never giving holidays be it car drowning rains or the busiest festivals. Before the lockdown was even officially announced, college canceled it’s huge events like the Annual Day and Farewell for the sole purpose of prioritising everyone’s safety. Within a couple of days, it sent all the students, teachers and staff members back home and started planning a 15 days delay in the timeline with the hope of lockdown ending soon.

#Covid-Cover2:

When the reality kicked in ,the ‘15 days’ myth of the lockdown became an unceasing one.The college was bewildered, unsettled and uncertain like the most of us but didn’t let it catch up to them. They shifted majority of the college operations online, adopted Microsoft teams, zoom, portal and new softwares to provide the best they can, be it online or offline. They made the whole year end plan for the online shift from Internals to externals to lectures and doubt solving sessions to not let anything hamper the education. Not only did they guide everyone to make the best of the lockdown but even provided the resources to do so from giving TY students tips about building a strong resume by doing Coursera courses ,online internships, and projects in relation to their streams to welcoming the FYs through the online process of NPAT and guiding them through the orientations making the college covid- covered.

#Covid-Cover3:

The one thing that needs to be spoken about is the anxiety we feel during online lectures.

The constant reminder and concern of ‘ is my mic off ‘ ,’is my video off ‘, ‘ what if someone records me’. This is faced not only by students but also by teachers, who are constantly trying to communicate and deliver better.The need to keep looking at your screen for hours and hours, the stress on your eyes and mind, feeling lost in lectures even though you’re present, feeling like you’re not productive enough, missing the presence of your peers who make all of this easier and help you get through the day, has left us consternated and makes me wonder if college is really covid-covered.

#Covid-Cover4:

I’m sure that by your third year into Nmims you would’ve learnt a lot ,be it time, stress, people or event management and in this lockdown I’m sure we have covered cooking, bartan and jadu-poucha too .Those early morning lectures to all-nighters preparing for countless submissions, Nmims will do it’s best to prepare you for an outside world through it’s course and the study material level. Even the online lectures couldn’t hamper their methods of preparing us by giving real life case studies, practical assignments, giving knowledge and experiments about diverse industries, you will feel you’re a 1000% ready after going through the hardship at Nmims and holding that degree, but is that really true?

#Covid-Cover5:

Let’s talk reality, how many of us are scared to go in the real world? With the placements being taken away, unemployment rates rapidly increasing, employees not getting paid ,the rise in competition faced for CAT/GMAT and other entrances , do we really want to start our journey in such an environment?

The top business schools like ours couldn’t stop the cancellation of placements (around 30%),what makes us think it’ll be easy when we apply. All the great minds who have lost their jobs are now planning to study further with the conception that the applications for this falls and spring would’ve reduced due to covid , a little did they know that the current TYs will also be applying in the same timeline with them. With this addition in the number of applications, getting into their dream or even safety colleges can be a task.

Keeping aside the horrors of covid on college life, aren’t we still hoping and looking forward to see each other in those hallways, in between the rush in the canteen and just waiting for the cutting chai to get you through the morning lectures.

Something special for you all since it’s the last blog !

NMIMS x BOLLYWOOD for the current state of mind of students :