How do I maintain a sense of control over my studies?

Post 6 in this series is written by Professor Salome Human-Vogel, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria.

The academic game changed suddenly in March when South Africa recorded its first case of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19. Within the space of a few weeks, South Africa passed the 1 000 mark in terms of recorded infections and reported the first death due to the virus. With the entire country on lockdown, South Africans are experiencing turmoil and grappling with adjusting to a new reality that confines them to their homes while schools and universities are on an extended break.

For students, the sudden closure of University has multiple implications, from having to move out of their residences back home, no access to the TUKS Wi-Fi network, and the possibility that academic programmes may have to be conducted online for the unforeseeable future. The good news is that telecommunications companies such as Telkom, MTN and Vodacom have agreed to zero-rate many educational websites, including the www.up.ac.za domain and the UP ClickUp sites.

As a student, it is really important for you to maintain your focus on your studies as we move through this period of uncertainty. Your ability to maintain focus on your studies will be much easier if you remember the following rule: If you can’t control what happens to you, control your response to what is happening to you. This sounds easy, but it may take some practice. When you control your response to a situation, it means that you control your (i) thinking and your (ii) attitude to the situation. You do this by making a conscious choice about

• Where you will direct your attention
• How you think and feel about what is happening
• How you will spend your time

 To take control of your studies by re-directing your attention, you can

• Limit the amount of time you spend on social media, so it doesn’t overwhelm you
• Focus on inspiring stories of people caring for each other in this pandemic, rather than stories meant to create alarm, escalate worry or stoke racial tensions
• Reflect on how you can use this situation to develop yourself as a person
• Set learning and study goals for yourself or think about how you can improve your ability to learn online
• Spend time with people who uplift you rather than people who increase your anxiety

To control how you think and feel about what is happening, you can

• Focus on what you are doing to ensure your own success
• Affirm your ability to stay on track by taking practical steps to keep up with your work
• Develop a belief in your ability to manage whatever comes your way
• Interrupt or stop thoughts that increase worry and anxiety.
• Remind yourself that worry and anxiety cannot change a situation, but taking the right actions can

Make a conscious choice to spend time on

• Keeping yourself healthy
• Creating a routine for working and relaxing
• Finding information that you need
• Connecting with a friend so you can support each other
• Taking action rather than taking stress