Podcast

Mastering Online Learning 

Seeing as many courses have been transitioned to online formats, students may feel that there are newfound challenges that come with this virtual form of learning. For instance, managing time and facilitating interactions with professors have become more difficult. In this episode, we will be discussing how to adjust to the online format of school this year. We will focus on distance learning, time management and asynchronous vs. synchronous learning. Research and personal experiences will be used to explain the issue of online learning and tips on how to adapt to this new format. 

Transcript

[Anoushka]

John Dewey, a philosopher and psychologist, once said “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” This month, What’s UP(SA) brings you: Mastering Online Learning.

[Serena]

In this episode, we will discuss different ways to effectively learn online and some tips for managing your time. At UPSA, we always want to help students succeed, which is why we think it’s important to discuss concerns that students may have about going back to school this year. Hi, I’m Serena.

[Anoushka]

And I’m Anoushka. 

[Serena]

We both major in psychology at York University. 

[Anoushka]

We are interested in this topic because the upcoming school year will be a bit different than previous ones. Many students who go to university or college have to take their courses exclusively online. 

[Serena]

This is something that concerns most of us because it’s going to be more challenging to learn the way that we are used to learning, which is through listening to lectures in person. We also understand that it's an especially uncertain time for first-years, who have to experience their first year through an online setting.

[Anoushka]

We want you to keep in mind that we are not experts on this topic, but we do have some experience with this and did do a lot of research for the show. Everything discussed is for informational purposes and has been fact-checked. With that said, let’s begin. 

DISTANCE LEARNING

[Serena]

Over the summer semester, my courses were all online. It was a strange experience not talking to other students in the lecture and having to awkwardly ask my questions in the Zoom chat box. Let’s just say, this is something we all are going to have to get used to this year. You may be wondering: how is attending lectures online going to be different from in-person? How will I best manage my time with distractions that exist at home? And, what even is the difference between asynchronous and synchronous courses? 

[Anoushka]

One of the biggest changes which all of us have had to adapt to, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been distance learning. Instead of entering a lecture hall full of five hundred students, we now have to see each other’s faces on virtual platforms such as zoom.  And for some of us it gets even more complicated than that if we are international students who live in a completely different time zone. However, at the end of the day, the fact remains that distance learning is not going to leave us even in the winter semester! 

[Serena]

So how do we move forward with this mode of learning? We try to be as active as we can. If you get tired of staring at your screen, pick up your laptop and move around in your house while listening to that lecture! Make use of the perks of being at home! Remember that every coin has a flip side to it. If distance-learning is meant to reduce physical contact with people, it does not mean it will remove all means of contact. Try to join the same lectures as your friends. That’s a great motivational booster for you to sit through the lecture. You can also make use of UPSA’s services. There is a reason why we hold events and offer services like tutoring and mentoring. 

[Anoushka]

Some problems that international students might have to face is to be up late at night to attend these lectures. Always have your snack to munch on and a cup of coffee ready and right beside you during a lecture. Of course listening is a skill and one slowly gets better at it over time, so take notes while you're listening to your professor talk. Come up with questions to ask him during the lecture or email them privately after the lecture. Remember if you’re not in a lecture hall, it doesn’t mean you CAN’T learn. 

[Serena]

And most importantly always remember that this is not a permanent situation and this too shall pass!  Also, think of this quote from Charles Darwin if distance learning ever gets too much, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.”

TIME MANAGEMENT

[Anoushka] 

So, not only do we have to adapt to learning from a distance, but we also have to adapt to the distractions that exist while working from home. So, how can you manage your time with these interruptions? In an article by Queen’s university called Tips for Success in Online Learning, it’s mentioned that students should make time to plan. This includes setting mini-deadlines for big projects and assignments, setting time aside for relaxation so you don’t burnout, and avoiding common distractions. But how is it possible to avoid these distractions? If you have family members at home that are noisy, kindly let them know that you need some quiet so you can focus on listening to your lectures. Eventually, a routine should be established where your family members will know not to distract you.

[Serena] 

The next thing is to put your phone on ‘do not disturb.’ Or, better yet, leave your phone in a separate room from you if you can. This will prevent you from spending too much time on social media and will provide you with an excuse not to look away from your lecture or from what you’re studying. Make sure to dedicate a workspace for yourself. This ensures you have a space that is purely for you to get your work done, and ideally is a space that is, for the most part, free from distractions. Oh yeah, also feed yourself before you dive into any sort of work. You likely won’t be able to concentrate on anything with an empty stomach. 

[Anoushka] 

Now, what about the common expression “I just don’t have the time.” The thing is, many of us have the mindset that we have no time to do things we want or need to do. The fact of the matter is that we do have the time, but rather we don’t make those things a priority. In a TED Talk by Laura Vanderkam, she discusses how we all have time to do things that matter to us. She suggests that every Friday evening write down activities in your to-do list by dividing them into 3: relationships, career (or school), and self. Then see where each activity can fit in your schedule for the week. If I am gonna be honest, with my schedule I tend to forget to do things for myself and my relationships with others and focus more on my schooling. School is important, but self-care and your relationships are as well. 

[Serena]  

One thing that I love to do is to first block off time in my schedule for my lectures, my work shifts, and my lab shifts. Basically anything that is a pre-set commitment should be prioritized. Something that is helpful is estimating how long each of these commitments is going to take per week. After taking this into consideration as well as the amount of time you spend sleeping each week, you will be surprised how much time you have left for other tasks. Next, I always like to consider how much time is required to prepare for lectures, including my readings and assignments. Then I block off time in my schedule for things that will make me feel happy as well as healthy. This can be anything from going to the gym, going on hikes, or reading. Keeping all these things in mind will ensure you are using your time wisely and hopefully, the outcome will be satisfying.

SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS COURSES

[Anoushka]

Online learning is not a new method of teaching and was often opted for cheaper classes, more flexibility and convenience. However, this is not the case for most of us because of these unprecedented times. Often the benefits associated with online learning such as lighter workload, less time required, etc, are misconceptions. In 2016, Papi Bawa conducted a literature review on retention in online classes. Based on previous findings, online courses have about 10 to 20 percent higher failed retention rates compared to traditional classroom settings. Even more astounding is that it is estimated that 40 to 80 percent of online students dropout of online classes! This is something that we will have to learn to combat because the online format is not optional for us. 

[Serena]

Many students this past summer had the opportunity to experience online learning before the fall starts, and struggled with several issues. Many experienced lack of motivation and self-discipline because online learning is put entirely on the students. Solutions include joining group chats to stay connected and up to date with your peers and course material, or watching youtube videos to have a better understanding of course content. There are also course representatives in your classes that host online  group study sessions and peer tutors where you can receive one-on-one help. On top of using resources, it is always best to communicate with your professor especially since we are online now and it is more difficult to build connections. Try to set up appointments or go to your professor’s office hours to address any concerns. 

[Anoushka]

For synchronous learning, students have found more specific challenges such as the zoom chat box blowing up and distracting them, or are not comfortable asking questions in a chat box with hundreds of students. A way to avoid this, is you can privately send your message to your professor through zoom and refrain from chatting in the box that is unrelated to the lecture. We also recommend keeping your camera on during lectures as your professor will have a face to who you are, you will not just be another student, and it makes you more accountable to listen to the lecture without distractions. 

[Serena]

As for asynchronous courses, they offer the chance for you to watch lectures any time that you like. Most of this involves independent work and often students will not watch the lectures until the last minute and have hours and hours of lecture to watch. Trust me, I experienced this myself and it was not fun. One tip is to watch your lecture at your scheduled lecture time on your timetable. You should also, of course, keep up with your readings just like you should with any lecture! 

[Anoushka]

And most of all, please keep in touch with your professor and peers! They are there to help you. Many students are nervous about online learning, but just know that resources do exist that can help you. UPSA being one of them. We have peer mentors that you can reach out to and they are there to support you through your uncertainty. We also offer peer tutoring for high demand psychology courses, like statistical methods. You can even make use of York’s other resources, from the library to the learning skills services and more. You are not alone in this journey. 

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[Anoushka] 

That’s all that we have for today. We hope that you enjoyed our very first episode of What’s UP(SA). Today we explored online learning and what it will be like throughout the year for students. We discussed some tips to cope with distance learning and to better manage time. We also delved into the difference between synchronous and asynchronous courses and what research shows about online learning.  

[Serena]

This topic is incredibly important to all of us here at UPSA and we hope you found this helpful. Please note that everything we discussed today is for informational purposes only and what we say may not resonate with all of you. By the way, this month we have our online event, Get Psyc’d Social on September 16th, 2020 from 6 to 8 pm. To find out more about this event and our podcast, check out @upsayorku on Instagram or @upsayork on Facebook. To access the transcript of this podcast and the resources that we used, visit our website upsa.club.yorku.ca. While you’re there, you can subscribe to our listserv to get even more content from us! Thanks for listening. 

Hosted by

Serena (VP of Community Relations) 

Anoushka (Community Relations Coordinator)

Written by

Serena (VP of Community Relations) 

Anoushka (Community Relations Coordinator)

Ayla (Community Relations Coordinator)

Avijeh (Community Relations - Ambassador Lead)

Edited by

Kaye (Marketing Coordinator)

Fact Checked by

Fara (Co-President)

References

To be Healthy as a Whole, Mental Wellness Plays a Role

For this month’s podcast, UPSA’s Saina and Sarah will be discussing the topic of Mental Health Awareness. This means realizing and spreading awareness as well as educating others of the stigma that many people with mental illness fall victim to. A huge part of mental health awareness is that we’re not only acknowledging that mental health is an important topic. However, we’re talking about it and putting it out there so that people who relate can get the help they need as well. We especially want to put the focus on the global pandemic that is affecting many with feelings of isolation at this time. We want to remind everyone in the community that you are not alone and that others are going through the same things that you are. People throughout their lives experience ups and downs in their mental condition which is something that we, as a community, should normalize. In this podcast, we talk about keeping in check your health and wellness and balancing academics at the same time through strategies such as breathing, meditating, exercising, or even just spending time with your fellow peers. We at York take mental health very seriously, as we prepare for UPSA’s Mental Health Matters event happening on Wednesday, October 21st.

Transcript

[Saina] “Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength” as Sigmund Freud once said. Most people must find the strength to face themselves every morning and fight their insecurities. Today we will be speaking further in depth about mental health awareness. So, friends, we present to you: What’s UP(SA)?

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[Sarah]  As you might have guessed by now that in this episode we will discuss tips and advice about boosting one’s mental health as well as provide some ways on how to cope with mental illness. We hope this information can help you become more aware of your and others mental health. My name is Sarah.

[Saina] And I am Saina. As the mental health awareness month starts, I cannot emphasize enough on the importance of mental health especially during the Global Pandemic when the whole world is fighting against it. Mental health is not discussed as much as it should be, but it is an important aspect of peoples’ health and it affects your happiness, physical health, growth and development, and academics. 

[Sarah] So Saina, have you ever had moments where you were wondering, what is this person thinking about, or what’s troubling them right now? Or rather that you’ve realized that everyone is living a life as vivid and complex as your own? 

[Saina] I guess, from time to time I try to think about what the other person in the room is feeling.

[Sarah] This is called sonder. Acknowledging the fact that everyone has different experiences and might not be going through the same things that you are and learning more about the topic can be one of the first steps to exploring mental health awareness. For now, what’s on your mind Saina?

[Saina] Let’s talk “school”. Whenever that word is brought up, I get a torrent of emotions running through my head right now. Assignments, tests, classes that I have to get to. It can be extremely anxiety inducing, especially with everything going on with the pandemic right now. It can be a lot.

[Sarah] Right?! Midterm season, or even just school can be super stressful! At least reading week is coming up this month.

[Saina] After this, I feel like we should go outside, get some air, take a breather, just a minute even, seriously! This means you too, a person that is listening! Although “School”, is just a word, we don’t realize how captivated we are in this culture of grinding and not giving ourselves enough time to catch a break, even when we really need it.

_____________________________________________

[Sarah] Well Saina, why do we feel so stressed? When looking at causes for mental illness in students, it’s not really something that you can specifically pin to one cause or another. However, the academic stress that students endure in university can be a large factor in the regression of mental health. Things such as fast upcoming deadlines for assignments and tests are constantly recurring in your mind during the semester. So what are some solutions?

[Saina] What about self-care strategies? I want you, yes you, the one who is listening, to think about any approach that you’ve done before to ease your mind. It can be as simple as taking a moment to just breathe, meditate, a special skin-care routine, or listening to your favourite songs on repeat. Some wise words to remember are: “You can’t help others until you help yourself.” 

[Sarah] Who was it that said that again?

[Saina] I feel like every wise old mentor figure from every movie ever. Probably Yoda from Star Wars or Master Oogway from Kungfu Panda.

[Sarah] TRUEEE!

[Saina] Anyways, how many times have you asked your friend how their day was, or how they were doing and ended up having them reply with “fine”? Even though we say we are fine, we might be sad, angry, scared, or even ecstatic with joy but “fine” seems to be the phrase that comes out. Ever wonder why?

[Sarah] Is it because we are all devoid of any emotion and we are all living in a simulation? (insert sci-fi sound effects)

[Saina] Ummm, no.

[Saina] “Fine” is the safety blanket of feelings. There are a couple of reasons for this. Most people wouldn’t feel comfortable airing out all of their grievances. This is also the same reason that less than half of individuals will seek mental health treatment because of stigmatization. People from all walks of life and at all levels of social, financial, and career can suffer from the detriments of poor mental health.

[Sarah] Then shouldn’t we raise awareness about mental health? Statistics say that about 20% of Canadians experience some sort of mental illness at least once in their lifetime. Not to mention, research has proven that mental health can also heavily impact your physical health in many ways, such as fatigue, insomnia, chronic head pain,  just to name a few, and much more. People who suffer from mood disorders are also at a much higher risk for developing any long-term medical conditions. 

_____________________________________________

[Sarah] The first step is to go about normalizing mental illness. We can start this by breaking down misconceptions, promoting recovery and providing necessary resources to those who need it. Do you have any tips Saina?

[Saina]      Yes! I suggest taking a minute to just stop when you start to feel overwhelmed or stressed beyond a certain point. Pay attention to your physical symptoms too. Headaches, stiff necks, irregular digestion are a few signals that you probably need to take a break and reflect on your day and how you feel. Practicing self-care techniques are immensely helpful to maintain your physical and mental balance.

[Sarah] Also remember. Self-care works in different ways for everybody. What might seem to be a routine or a technique for your friend, might not be for you. For some journaling works, and some simply listening to their favourite music and singing along can be therapeutic. But whatever your self-care routine is, please make sure to include some physical activity too. There is an abundance of research that shows that any form of physical activity always promotes good mood and mental health balance, be it taking a simple walk in the park even just for 20 minutes. Do not underestimate the amazing effects of physical activity!

[Sarah] Let’s get physical, physical! Okay, I’ll stop.

[Saina] (clears throat) Moving on… 

[Saina] Especially in such uncertain times, it is highly common for almost everyone to feel some type of anxiety or isolated from our communities. A very recent Deloitte study estimates a whopping 54 to 163 percent increase in mental health issues considering the effect of the pandemic. While this is a saddening fact, this also is for us to realize that we are not alone.

[Sarah] As exam season nears, it becomes increasingly important for us to ensure that we have a healthy and productive daily routine to avoid uncertainty over unfinished assignments and papers and last minute studying for exams. Having a daily planner can help in planning out your day as it makes you accountable to yourself. As this is not the most usual school year, taking care of yourself should be one of your utmost priorities.

[Saina] As Yoda would say:

[Sarah] Help others you can’t, help yourself until you must. Hmmm.

_____________________________________________

[Saina] For Mental Health Awareness month, I want you to recognize the support systems around you as well as be a support system for others. A support system can be friends, family, fellow club members, pets, or even the mental health resources that are available to you through York. Take time to spend with your family, friends, and loved ones.You can also be a support system by being proactive and checking in with that friend you haven’t talked to in a while, and ask them how they’re doing but do not take on more than you can handle and remember to be kind to yourself. 

[Sarah] You never know, they might help you out as well. Also, you can talk to a trusted guardian! They give the best advice sometimes. They have their experiences and wisdom through the lessons they’ve learned.

_____________________________________________

[Saina] So, now we are at the end of the discussion of one of the most important topics;  one’s mental health. People often do not understand the seriousness that mental health holds. I hope you found this informative and useful for your everyday life. Try reaching out to friends and family and checking on them periodically. But most importantly remember to check up on yourself and give yourself some rest. 

[Sarah] We, at York, take mental health very seriously, and we emphasize being aware and providing resources to relieve any kind of mental pressure or academic stress. Many first-year students face difficulty in transitioning into university and that can be a little stressful at times. So, we encourage you all to use various resources like Peer Tutoring and Peer Mentoring now offered online by UPSA. We are here to help you have that easy transition and to take away any academic stress due to deadlines and the extra pressure of work. York has great resources such as Student Counselling and Mental Health Workshops like ASIST and SafeTALK. 

[Saina] We also like to invite you to join us on Wednesday, October 21st for UPSA’s Mental Health Event. We will discuss and spread mental health awareness as well as destress with various fun activities online. 

[Sarah] To register for this event and to learn more about UPSA and our services and upcoming events you can check out @upsayorku on Instagram or @upsayork on facebook. To access the transcript of this podcast and the resources that we used, visit our website upsa.club.yorku.ca

[Saina] Learn how you can get involved! Together, we can have a positive impact on the mental health of our community.

Hosted by

Saina (Peer Ambassador) 

Sarah (Peer Ambassador)

Written by

Dennis (Peer Ambassador) 

Gauri (Peer Ambassador)

Shreya (Peer Ambassador)

Edited by

Joey (Marketing Coordinator)

Fact Checked by

Avijeh (Ambassador Lead)

References

The Future is in Our Hands!

For this month’s podcast, two of our Peer Ambassadors address this month’s theme of Noteworthy November where three noteworthy topics are discussed in depth: Remembrance Day, police brutality, and the coronavirus. We focus on these topics in regards to social psychology and try to understand the impact that past events can have on our futures. Our hope is that everyone can understand the importance of learning about past events and keeping updated on current events as this understanding can influence our futures a great deal. We should all be supporting each other through these tough times through effective communication. Here at UPSA, we promote activism and mental health awareness within ourselves and with our loved ones. To create change, we must start now. If someone you know is struggling and stressed because of the pandemic or other significant events happening in the world, make sure they know they have someone to help them. In this podcast, we provide simple solutions to how you can change the future for others through petitions and supporting different organizations etc. Our futures are important and we must start planning for it now, and to assist you in planning for it, UPSA will be hosting our Clinical vs Counselling Psychology event on November 18th.

Transcript

1: Malcolm X  once said that, “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” We must understand and learn from our past and make changes as we see fit for a better future. Today my fellow peer ambassador and I will be speaking about some noteworthy events that we should all be paying attention to and trying to learn from. So, friends, we present to you: What’s UP(SA)?

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2: Our theme for this month is Noteworthy November. As previously mentioned we will be discussing some issues that are of particular importance this year and the events that have taken place to lead us to where we are today. We hope that today’s podcast can provide some new perspectives on certain situations that have taken place recently. 

1: My name is Ibukun. 2020 has certainly been an interesting year. There were many events that took place and many issues that arose as a result of those events. For example, the wrongful death of George Floyd, which was the catalyst for worldwide protests against police brutality, and the outbreak of the coronavirus which led to a global pandemic. Movements like Black Lives Matter and Aborginal Lives Matter are of great importance in pushing changes in our society to better the lives of the people belonging to these communities now and in the future. As mentioned earlier, we must learn from our past experiences in order to prepare ourselves for the future.

2: As a disclaimer, we will not be able to cover all noteworthy events in today’s podcast, but we strongly encourage everyone to stay updated on current events so we can all be educated about the current state of our world.

Remembrance Day

1: Remembrance day is around the corner, I wonder how we'd celebrate this day amidst the pandemic!

2: I know right! Did you ever think why poppy is used as a symbol for Remembrance Day?

1: Actually, fun fact! A Canadian poet and physician during World War 1 noticed how quickly poppy grew on the graves of buried soldiers and so termed poppy as the official symbol for our brave soldiers. Even today Replicas of poppies are sold to the Royal Canada Legion to provide assistance to veterans. 

2: Don’t you think like the brave soldiers saved the world during World War 1, doctors are doing the same job amidst this Global Pandemic? Years after our fight with each other, here we are in a fight with nature. It is commendable how soldiers in that era and doctors today have done justice to their profession and duty. So much is only possible when you have a strong team to support you!

1: That’s correct! Teams act as a guiding force which help you reach the pedestal of success. Humans, being a social animal can very rarely survive and succeed alone. They are often in the need of social support from other people. 

2: Teams can either make or break you! It is very important for us to choose the correct team for us and for that to happen we need to make sure we make teams with people who have similar deep level factors, like, attitudes, beliefs and traits. These are the factors that help us understand the team’s objectives and goals. 

1: Along with deep level factors, I believe the composition of a team also makes a huge impact on its overall performance. Even a single person’s outlook can change the entire team, so is with any distress. If it affects one person, it affects the entire team. So as easy as it sounds, building efficient teams really takes a lot of research on each individual member of that team.I wonder how the Armed Forces are able to perfect such a difficult task. The military teams show excellent unity even during life threatening tasks. How can that be possible?

2: The Armed forces often are in battlefields with their enemies, in that situation they have no option other than to trust their team. That trust in the field is what helps them create and maintain good relationships with their peers even outside of tasks. The life threatening situations leave soldiers in a state that only their fellow teammates understand. So the teamwork in this case comes as an adaptation to the situations that they are put in. So is with the doctors and their team. Have you ever wondered if soldiers are the ones who put themselves into the life threatening situations, then doctors are the only ones who are able to get them out of those situations? While soldiers put their life in the hands of the nation, doctors take the responsibility of a life in their hands. 

1. That’s an interesting thought. Doctors are showing the same excellence in teamwork right now as we speak. I guess they are really good judges of the ...ummm

2: Deep level factors? 

1: It would be a great idea to analyze these deep level factors to make University teams as well. Even with UPSA, we could create the various teams based on a simple test that analyzes your deep level factors! We should definitely suggest this idea to others!

2: Did we just find the solution to inter-team conflicts for everyone? We make a great team!

1: Like Steve Jobs once said “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people”

Police Brutality

1: One issue has been extremely prevalent in 2020.

2: And what would that be?

1: Police brutality

2: Ah yes, it began around the end of May with the wrongful, unforgivable death of George Floyd and it sparked the start of a number of protests all across the United States and made news worldwide.

1: Canada also had quite a few protests in solidarity and in relation to deaths of black Canadians by the hands of police officers. It brought attention to the issue of police brutality against the black and indigenous community in Canada.

2: Some big topics being discussed are whether it is the issue of “bad apples” or the role itself that influences changes in people’s demeanors, and whether this is a result of a corrupt system. What exactly is the government’s role in all of this?

1: I think just filing instances like this away as a result of a “few bad apples” is irresponsible and ignoring the fact that this issue stems from systemic racism within our criminal justice system.

2: Exactly. If we look at the Stanford Prison Experiment where average college students were assigned prisoner and guard roles at random and role played these roles, we find that the participants quickly conformed to their roles and behaved in ways that greatly differed from their behaviour in their normal lives.

1: Yeah, the prison guards acted unusually cruel, giving them physical punishments, humiliating them, etcetera. The prison guards’ positions of authority caused deindividuation to happen – they would lose their sense of self and become immersed in group norms.

2: Because the roles of police officers are so heavily stereotyped as being serious, strict, and powerful, many can also fall victim to deindividuation and act in ways that are more cruel than they realize whilst in their roles.

1: Prisoners experienced learned helplessness, meaning they would believe that what they do will have little effect on what will happen to them, becoming submissive.

2: So, they believed that they had no choice but to listen to the prison guards and do what they said.

1: That’s right. So, citizens are often expected to just listen to whatever police officers say and not rebel, otherwise the police officers will become more aggressive and assertive to get them to succumb to their demands.

2: Yes, because the police officers often adopt a “warrior’s mindset” which is intended to mask their fears. They will treat people who defy them as a threat and this can be a motivating factor for them to use excessive force.

1: So what can be done to change this mindset?

2: Well, it definitely isn’t simple. A start would be for police officers to be legally held accountable for their actions and “subject to perp walks.” And having serious legislation focused on having police officers being held accountable for their actions as well as changing our current policing culture.

1: So the government plays the largest role in this by having to make improvements to the criminal justice system?

2: That is correct, and what we can do to change it would be to vote for the people we believe can push this change as well as continuing to support movements like Black Lives Matter and Aboriginal Lives Matter.

COVID-19

1: Another important issue that everyone is experiencing worldwide is the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone is affected by this pandemic, whether it’s physically, mentally or emotionally. 

2: This pandemic has been taking a toll on most people’s, if not everyone’s, mental health. Being in quarantine means being away from family to avoid getting infected or getting people infected. It’s a really hard time for everyone.

1: But, wait! Even though we are in isolation doesn’t mean we can’t see our families and loved ones who live somewhere else. There’s apps like Zoom and Skype to help connect you with loved ones during this pandemic. 

2: You’re right! Facetiming or video-calling each other is such a good way to interact with each other. As long as you can see your family and friends without the constant stress and worry that transmission of infection might occur, you feel comforted and content.

1: Don’t forget that you can also go outside and interact but you have to be sure to have some personal protective equipment or PPE and stay physical distancing!

2: How is this pandemic like the previous ones?

1: Well, obviously this pandemic is much more contained than previous ones as there is better technology and better experience from previous pandemics to deal with COVID-19.

2: Right. Back then during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, scientists didn’t even know what vaccines were!

1: Yes, but still, the 1918 pandemic along with SARS and all the other pandemics the world went through gave scientists and the government knowledge so we could be prepared for another pandemic like COVID-19.

2: I hope companies and scientists are working hard to make a vaccine for this virus. I really want to be able to see my family again physically.

1: Same here.

2: Hey, have you been taking care of your mental health? Studies show that people in isolation and quarantine are more likely to develop symptoms of psychological stress and disorder.

1: Like what?

2: Low mood, insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD. There’s a handful of them.

1: Then there must be some symptoms developing post-quarantine too?

2: That’s correct. According to several studies, post SARS quarantine health-care workers have been found dealing with risks of alcohol abuse, avoidance behaviour and high depressive symptoms after quarantine.

1: Even parents who quarantine with their kids showed a higher diagnosis of trauma related mental health disorder.

2: All this because of the stress and constant worry of losing a loved one, getting infected and dealing with financial hardship that comes with losing a job.

1: If this is how people with homes feel, I wonder how those homeless people are feeling. I feel like the government isn’t doing enough for them.

2: Apparently, the city of Toronto is setting up shelter systems and handing out PPE to them, but is that really enough?

1: I don’t know but I don’t think so. I heard on the news about a month ago that they were considering some ambitious plan to rent out old buildings to use for housing for the homeless people, but I haven’t heard anything since.

2: We could only hope that they’ll do something about them soon. Cold weather, *clears throat* winter is coming.

1: Indeed. We could also find petitions to sign to get the government to do something for them.

2: That’s right. Anything you can do to help the homeless is something meaningful. 

1: If you’re concerned about homeless people, about vulnerable people, or about anyone in particular, find a way to help. It doesn’t have to be the most physical way like handing out food, it could be a simple “How are you doing today?”.

2: Anything can help temporarily increase a person’s mental health that has been badly affected by this pandemic. 

1: But don’t forget about your masks if you’re doing something in person! 

2: And keep physical distancing. Stay at least 2 metres away from other people! Let’s work together to prevent this virus from spreading any further.

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1: So now we’ve gone over three particularly noteworthy events: Remembrance Day, police brutality, and COVID-19. At the end, the most important thing that we all need to learn from these topics is about the importance of mental health. All the events discussed in this podcast have left a noteworthy effect on our mental health and it is important that we normalise talking about these problems. Especially in this pandemic, make that extra effort. Talk to that one friend you haven't spoken to in years, check up on your family and friends, don’t be harsh on yourself, take it slow. With the given uncertainty around us, we can never be cautious enough, so let’s all come together and take care of each other. Thank you for joining us for the podcast today.

2. Before we go, we would also like to invite everyone to join us for our Clinical vs Counselling Psychology event on Wednesday, November 18 from 5:30pm-7:30pm. UPSA will be holding this event to help students understand the difference between Clinical and Counselling psychology. This event will give you the opportunity to ask your questions to speakers who have graduated and are working in these disciplines.

1: For more information about the event and speakers, stay tuned on our social media! Also follow us if you want to stay updated on more interesting podcasts and activities. You can check out @upsayorku on Instagram or @upsayork on facebook. To access the transcript of this podcast and the resources that we used, visit our website upsa.club.yorku.ca 

Hosted by

Ibukun (Peer Ambassador) 

Anonymous Host (Peer Ambassador)

Written by

Angela (Peer Ambassador) 

Jennifer (Peer Ambassador)

Navya (Peer Ambassador) 

Edited by

Kaye (Marketing Coordinator)

Fact Checked by

Avijeh (Ambassador Lead)

References