Zoom University: Will the New Ever Compare to

Photograph / Afia Kazmi With restrictions ongoing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite not wanting to admit it all students knew that university would not

be the same for the 20/21 academic year. Photograph / Afia Kazmi

Photograph / Afia Kazmi

Lectures in bed, lack of contact with course mates and the flat cleaning rota being more important than ever before - welcome to the age of zoom university.

As much as it’s for the better and the safest option (boo I know) there are obviously some negatives that have to be acknowledged, and no I don’t mean the lack of pints in the union after your class.

Photograph / Afia Kazmi Digital poverty was already an issue in modern day life but as university moves online and into our bedrooms, many will be struggling more than others. A 2019 study found that 12% (around 700,000) of 11-18 year olds don’t have internet access at home from a PC laptop or tablet, and a further 60,000 having no internet access at home at all. This opens up the issue of inclusion and a potential class divide. With a majority of freshers being school leavers at 17-18, these statistics create a big worry of how well they will be able to get started with their studies. Another worry many students have, is the lack of access to facilities that may seem small to the outsider eye but really mean a lot to these students - such as the LGBTQ+ Liberation Group. With some families’ sadly not being as accepting as others, a zoom group may not work as well for them as discussions of sexuality and gender identity could lead them to danger in their homes. This creates an issue for many in the ways that are obvious. But another issue is the place that many see as a safe space, and the one place they feel alike others and most importantly accepted, is now no longer an option to partake in or even have an online meeting. This can lead to a further lowering of mood in a group that already suffer more than anyone else in terms of mental health, creating even more worry for these people in such uncertain times which at the start of a new academic year is the last thing any student needs.

In these times, as we huff and sigh over the lack of in person classes and seeing our friends; we should also be checking in one those who don’t have access to these or that have them there but the option to join them may cause more harm than good. Rachel Gibson

Designed by Megan Beattie Photograph / Afia Kazmi

Photograph / Afia Kazmi