Student Insights: In Conversation with Simran Jandu

Welcome to the first article in our new Student Insights column where we engage in conversations with current or past students about their learning journey, touching on themes of digital and remote learning, student engagement, course success, mental health, and their future steps, along with insightful advice for the current student community.

For our first Insight, our Marketing Executive, Parveen Bhambra, had the pleasure of virtually sitting down with recent graduate, Simran Jandu, to talk about her experience of completing her 4th and final year of study, at a distance during this pandemic.

PB: First off, let’s check in. How are you? 

SJ: I’m ok, just really used to the set up now. I have adapted to it. It is mundane doing everything from the same room but I’m doing ok. I did miss the normal routine of going in and being on campus, but I do not miss the commute.

PB: I think we can all agree with that sentiment!

PB: What were your initial thoughts upon hearing you will be finishing your final year at a distance?

SJ: Confused, I didn’t know how it would feel to do my final year from home and I was upset about graduation, and anxious, I was unsure of what will happen with our exams. Everything sprung into action quickly with the Pandemic and universities didn’t know exactly what they were doing til later. I was quite anxious about adapting to it all. They opted for bigger coursework assignments with higher module weighting in place of our exams, and we had a few days to complete them.

PB: What was your set up like? Were you attending some online lectures/seminars?

SJ: Lockdown happened in March and we finished lectures in May in the approach to finals, so we had the remainder of those online with Zoom. I’m continuing to study online during my masters too.

PB: How did you communicate with your instructors and peers? How did you find it?

SJ: The main form of communication with my dissertation supervisor was through Microsoft Teams and Moodle Forum. The lack of face-to-face interaction was tough for group work though.

PB: Did you adjust easily and quickly to your new set up, or did you experience some struggles with it?

SJ: At first, it was hard to have the cameras on, I thought it was weird. I found it harder to speak up via Zoom, normally I wouldn’t mind doing so in person. Unmuting myself on a call to give my opinion was hard in the beginning, whereas now it doesn’t bother me as much, and now I’ll keep my camera on too. So where I was holding back, that’s now gone.

PB: This is a huge result! A great step forward to ensuring online class engagement when you’re feeling shy, unmotivated, or just simply awkward.

#DistanceLearningTopTip:

Embrace online classes! Engaging with your instructors and peers during the class will support your learning and foster a sense of community during this time.

PB: Was your course very practical-heavy? How did you manage your study and practice without access to your usual on-campus resources?

SJ: For one of my modules, it was all based on group work, lots of presenting and workshops, and we were meant to be examined on this. We ended up just writing about the topic instead of presenting. Unfortunately, with that, all the interactive element was taken away. But we did use Zoom breakout rooms which worked well and allowed me to communicate with group members, but not without the typical technology issues.

PB: I can vouch for that! Also, that's a hopeful insight to hear. Group work helps to communicate with your peers, and on some courses, it’s essential to the module assessment. So you don’t have to miss out even while at a distance.

PB: How did you separate your study time from your personal time despite both happening in the same space?

SJ: For me it was work time, study time AND personal time. I did everything from the same desk, I would finish work at 6pm and then move over to my personal laptop to start my university work. It was quite unhealthy, so half-way through, I changed my set up. I sat in a different room, ordered a keyboard and mouse, and separated my work from my university work. That became my new work environment. We also didn’t know how long this would last, when it became long term, I changed my set up.

#MentalHealthTopTip:

If something’s not right or not working, take a step back, assess your situation and make a change. It will help you in the long run.

PB: Maintaining your mental health during this time and beyond is vital. While some were only allowed to venture out of the house for one form of exercise, and others not at all, how did you keep calm during this time?

SJ: I’m lucky that I have dogs! I was able to take them out for walks. I remember saying to my friends that I have no time to just be at home, it was nice at first, and commuting was the biggest thing I didn’t miss. It was nice to go for daily walks. Just before lockdown, I had started going to the gym, so then I started working out at home with YouTube videos.

PB: That's a great way to boost your mental health - walking and working out is a great stress reliever.

PB: Do you have any tips for students whose mental health has or is declining during lockdown? Or students who are struggling to engage and focus on their studies?

SJ: Try to put your phone away for part of the day. It’s so much easier to be on your phone all the time while at home, so try and set yourself some boundaries. Put aside time every day to do something you enjoy, or something that gives you physical and mental stimulation. I started trampolining HIIT classes and they are so fun. And cook! Take time to cook. I love Dishoom, and they released their cookbook so I made my favourite dish at home.

Simran created an Instagram account for her lockdown cooking and baking. Another way to stimulate the brain – content creation! Check it out here.

PB: Many universities have moved their entire academic term, and even year, online. Others have opted for a split of face-to-face and online interaction. Do you have any advice for those students entering university for the first time in this different environment of virtual learning and learning at a distance?

SJ: Even though you may feel awkward doing this, you should take the opportunity to communicate with peers online as much as possible. Everyone is in the same boat, you must support each other, it will give you a sense of community. Also, set up is very important - make sure you create a learning space in your home dedicated to that.

PB: If you had the opportunity to re-do your virtual learning experience, what would you do differently?

SJ: I would’ve made sure I had a learning space set up from the very beginning, and I would lock my phone away during online lectures. I would try to be more interactive on Zoom classes and join in more.

PB: Now that you have completed your studies and graduated, what does the future hold for you?

SJ: I’m currently studying for my Masters in Organisational Psychology. I’m really interested in Occupational Consultancy and Coaching as a future career path.

We have an extensive Coaching portfolio from our homegrown imprint Open University Press. Any other Coaching students out there – have a browse!

PB: Finally, to end on a hopeful note, what are your hopes and aspirations for your future in a COVID-secure or post-COVID world?

SJ: I do believe that when you are young and just starting out, networking is very important, to develop and progress in your career. I hope I will get this opportunity in the future.

Thank you for reading!

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