Same Battle, Different Weapons

Onerous is an understatement to describe the current set-up of class for students in the cities. With all the feedback heard from them online, it is no doubt that the pandemic took a turn on how they handle their battle on the “new normal” academe. But, hearken closely to that other grappling echo, faint and inaudible in the background. With greater odds of vanquishment, they are also in the same battle – hands tied, hopes broken. Provincial students who chose to study in a university located in the city despite the current situation knew the high risk of the decision they made. But for the sake of their dreams, the interference of the pandemic is not the one to stop them from reaching it – despite the unavailability of data and what statistics imply. These inherent risks rule the scale of hardship on how they would handle the online class. The fundamental necessity for this type of class is the internet connection yet, without a doubt, provinces have it the worst. For most of the households, during the day it is considered lucky to have a three-bar status on a wi-fi modem while the mobile data is an H+ disguised in 4G. It gets more dreadful at nighttime. Some have gone as far as buying wi-fi extenders that barely improve the situation. It is a not-so-fun mile-long, a mountain-high adventure, or a rule-breaking trip downtown in search of a fairly okay internet connection. Is there a choice for the students? With almost everything done online, from synchronous to asynchronous classes, the only other way to avoid the risk is to drop the class. It is hard when the teacher speaks way ahead of what you can see from your screen. Students from “far-flung” areas are also disadvantageous with the fact that the physical resources required for a subject arrive at them later than anyone else like when the books reach them only after 4-6 weeks into the semester. These are all heart-shattering moments students from the countryside go through every single day since the beginning of the classes. One whole year of doing the same things and nothing has changed. A year of repeating the same excuses and the only thing that improves is the worsening anxiety when students worry if their teachers will not get tired of giving consideration to their “unrealistic and redundant” reasons with the slap on the face that the class won’t adjust to them minority because they don’t occupy a significant population Going to the city is an option easier said than done. It is not only the intermittent connection you must take into consideration but you also have to go through your pockets and see to it that there are enough silver-plated coins and number of bills truly and genuinely smiling at you, that would serve as your gateway to so-called salvation in the "comforts" of the city. Let us not forget the inconvenience of laying the groundwork for travel requirements to get in Zamboanga in hopes of having a better performance during online classes. With that, it is quite ironic how online setup could have been a great fortuity to the majority because, as per se, it is convenient as we enjoy the leisureliness in the comforts of our home. Unfortunately, students living in provinces with lazy connections add up to the list of problems we are facing during the trying times of pandemic as if we are not exhausted enough. On a serious note, it is no longer the grades and results per quizzes that baffles the minds of these students. MENTAL HEALTH is now the number one priority and it is upsetting to hear that as much as you want to prioritize your health, it is as if we are ought to feel guilty for not attending online classes. Hands tied, hopes broken, added up with a faint heart and delicate mind are weapons we carry in a battle that we are unfairly fighting. Will there be some hope of ceasing this predicament? Will there be still a pot of gold in this dreary rainbow? When? When will this all be over? Because we can’t, no more.