The pandemic has changed the learning scenario for students across several institutes. All through the pandemic, we kept hearing about accepting the new lifestyle that Covid has smeared upon us as the ‘new normal, but did they mean it? Because as soon as Covid receded, everything started going back to exactly how it was in the pre-pandemic era. It was always meant to be something temporary, something abnormal. And with the impending third wave, we are bound to be stuck with the new abnormal for a few more months at the very least.
A typical day consisted of waking up 20 minutes before class, brushing teeth with three of your wingmates while others waited outside for the washbasins to become available.
Then, walking till the class, lest we miss punching our id cards to the biometric machines responsible for marking our attendances. And if there is no morning class, most of us would sleep late and wake up just before lunchtime ends in the mess. Cut to the online version. There is now no need to prepare for a lecture. As the videos are not turned on, you get out of bed in whatever clothes you prefer.
Instagram is your buddy because paying attention is no longer a requirement for all the lectures are recorded, and will be available to you as soon as the class ends. The need to take down notes to remember important concepts is now a thing of the past as one click on VLC will take you back to the lecture itself. The art of making impeccable notes and hence gaining clout among everyone in your department is obsolete. Instead, having the best sticker collection on WhatsApp and using them on the right occasion is how admiration is achieved nowadays.
Meals in the mess would involve a lot of people sitting at the same table, talking about anything and everything, making situational statements that would later turn into inside jokes. Honestly, the food quality didn’t even matter as long as it had some basic taste boxes checked and was not completely inedible.
Those who attend the online semester from campus can enjoy this aspect, but those who aren't are free to plan a meal when they can because they are equipped to prepare a well-cooked and tasty meal at home at any time. It is a trade-off between a gastric experience versus an emotionally bonding experience.
Afternoons and evenings are either spent attending classes, working on assignments, lazing around, attending one of the infinite extracurricular events planned by the various clubs of the campus, or just lying on the bed and aimlessly staring at the ceiling fan wondering about life.
In the race for online popularity, all sports have taken a hit, but chess has emerged as the unsurprising winner. Even though cultural jams aren't possible any more, the time has never been better for non-performative arts like word games, poetry, literature, debating, and the fine arts. Now, people hover over online versions of games like Codenames and Pictionary in droves.
