This week, we’re looking at pandemic risk in my Enterprise Risk Management course. Students worked in their small groups on Monday to describe two or three impacts that COVID has had on their health, their studies, their outlook, and their finances. I’ve excerpted some of the responses below.
Impact on Your Health:
“A lot of people affected by COVID are still experiencing long term effects on their physical health and well being.”
“The use of drugs and suicide increased significantly.”
“People are much more conscious about being sick.”
“The fear of unknown side-effects of COVID-19.”
“Mental health — anxiety ramped up, life pressure, study pressure.”
“Mental health — feeling isolated, sense of hopelessness/helplessness.”
“More cautious of personal health (lung exercises, improving overall body health.”
Stricter controls in Asia — “China has very strict regulations and ‘area risk’ determines testing or isolation.” and “South Korea required all citizens to wear masks inside and outside. Group activities were disallowed, and pubs and restaurants stayed closed except for takeout and delivery….”
“Was sick less often because we interacted with much fewer people.”
Impact on Your Studies:
“…Zoom meetings from home created less engaging learning environments.”
“Remote school impacted peoples’ learning styles.”
“Shift in academic expectations, i.e., online quizzes and exams instead of handwritten work.”
“Loss of motivation and focus.”
“Improved self-teaching.”
“It affected where students are now if they weren’t able to complete a certain number of credits online, or had other duties to attend to while staying at home.”
“Prices for UW didn’t decrease.”
“A large gap in grades due to different learning styles in an online environment.”
“Professors reused video lectures from the past (the concern of not getting your money’s worth).”
“Better grades, less learning.”
“The quality of group work and communications deteriorated.”
Impact on Your Outlook:
“I became more balanced and learned to value the little things.”
“Made you realize how quickly things can change, and to value your time.”
“There was a rapid need to understand different housing, electronic availability, and family circumstances of people.”
“Changed people’s outlook on American society in a negative way…felt like the pandemic was never-ending.”
“A confusing time as there was a lot of misinformation coupled with uncertainties….with all the different guidance being spread from the CDC, WHO, and the Office of the President of the U.S. it made it difficult to understand what was happening in the world and how our lives would change.”
“Cannot visit international countries without fear of a COVID lockdown and not making it back to school.”
“Question the level of protection I need to live with less anxiety.”
“Greater fear of death.”
“Asian Hate & Violence.”
“Being more careful with personal health and cleanliness.”
Impact on Your Finances:
“Layoffs caused stress among families.”
“Unemployment checks.”
“Paying for apartment and dorm that you don’t live in when you go back home.”
“Businesses were massively impacted.”
“Lockdown necessitated more food ordering through delivery services, an additional expense.”
I thank the students for the candid responses. I would say the two most recurring complaints were that the cost of their education did not decrease while the university was online; and that faculty members taped lectures which they reused during the pandemic rather than teach “live” online.