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UL students nearing end of pandemic-challenged semester

UL
Posted at 5:10 PM, Nov 12, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-12 18:10:56-05

LAFAYETTE — There's less than two weeks left of the semester for students at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Among the challenges for some this semester included switching to online classes while navigating the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's way more stressful I think," sophomore Jakoby Martin said of the virtual learning. During the pandemic, very few classes met in person.

"Just being away from everybody, and being secluded in your room," freshman Alaina Whitehead added.

Zoom lectures are not a requirement for professors, making some students feel like they are on their own.

"I have no zoom classes, I'm teaching myself in all my classes. They're just like here's an assignment. Do it," sophomore Daniel Disedare said.

Others say that it's been harder to get questions answered when they need help.

"It's not as interactive with the students, because everything is online. So, it's harder to get in contact with them since it's online you don't see them," Whitehead said.

Department of psychology , assistant professor Dr. Michael McDermott said the switch was challenging at first.

"I think that things have been getting a little bit easier now that were more familiar with that process, at the same time I think that things have been challenging in effectively communicating with students," McDermott said.

He warns high stress levels can lead to serious illness.

"Find ways of interacting others and engaging with meaningful behaviors even though we have some of these barriers in place. If you can find something small each day it can add up cumulatively in a meaningful way," McDermott said.

Winter break will begin the week of Thanksgiving.