Students and staff at Lethbridge College are being encouraged to reach out if they are feeling lonely during the school year.
Since the start of online curriculum this past March, both students and faculty have had less ability to be around friends and colleagues on a regular basis. Not being around others can cause a person to feel alone. People rely on human interactions throughout the day and sitting at home in front of a computer can greatly limit in person interaction between one another.
Wellness Services has seen an increase of individuals experiencing loneliness. COVID-19 and online curriculum are the two major factors in the increase. Josh Dyck, a counsellor at Wellness Services says with the new pandemic arriving in Canada in early March, people were being told to stay home and not go out.
“There’s a lot less interaction and it’s discouraging so it’s actually much harder to find social outlets and find people to be around. We’re encouraged to spend more time alone than we ever have been.”
Some students, who are now living away from home, may experience an added increase in feeling alone. Students who may have been living with family over the last few months are now out on their own with limited human interaction with one another. When people are out of their normal environment and their comfort zone, they may find it difficult to connect. For students staying at Lethbridge College, residence assistants continue to plan events and activities to bring students together, even if it’s on an online forum.
Staff at Wellness Services have also seen an increase in stress and anxiety since the beginning of the semester. Stress is caused when people make big changes to their everyday lives and are uncomfortable at first. Switching to an online curriculum is new for students, faculty and administrators and there will be an adaptation period for people to become accustomed to the new changes. During this period, some people may feel uncomfortable which can increase their anxiety and stress levels.
Many students are hesitant to reach out and talk. Emily Spencer, a triage nurse with Wellness Services, says students and even staff are scared to reach out because they don’t want to be judged by others.
“A lot of people will feel like they’re a burden to their friends or they don’t want to sound like they’re complaining, which is why they hesitate to reach out and talk.”
According to Wellness Services staff, if you feel hesitant to reach out, there are things you can do at home to help. Take care of yourself, make sure you’re eating well and getting enough exercise consistently. Staff encourage people to find meaningful ways to connect such as calling a friend, going for a walk, getting coffee with someone or participating in socially distanced get-togethers. These activities allow people to connect face-to-face or hear each other’s voices. Unlike texting back and forth, which can feel impersonal and a loss of connection between individuals can happen.
Dyck says it’s normal to feel lonely during these times as this is a unique circumstance and one that everyone is trying to figure out at the same time.
“If you do feel that loneliness, take some time to acknowledge it, recognize that it’s real and then take some steps to make it better for yourself.”
Both staff and students are encouraged to check out the Wellness Services website to find what’s available or stop by their office to ask questions. You can book an appointment to meet with a counsellor, nurse, doctor or student support specialist either face to face, online, or by phone. They are open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. located at CE1380 or you can call at 403-320-3239.