Student Life During COVID: Creative perspectives from those who lived it

2022·5.6 MB·English

by  Multiple

Student Life During COVID:
Creative perspectives from those who lived it
Edited by The Community Student Engagement Group at the University of Alberta
Student Life During COVID:
Creative perspectives from those who lived it
Edited by
The Community Student Engagement Group at the University of Alberta
The Community Student Engagement Group at the University of Alberta
ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ | Amiskwaciwâskahikan | Edmonton, Alberta
Dedication
Published by This book is dedicated to all the University of Alberta students of the
The Community Student Engagement Group at the University of Alberta
COVID pandemic for their resilience and perseverance.
5-07 Cameron Library, 11231 Saskatchewan Drive NW
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2J8 This publication is licensed under a Creative Commons licence,
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0):
Copyright © 2022 Ishan.A, Malou Brouwer, Mari Alice Conrad, Jordyn see creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. To obtain permission
Frederick, Andrea Larsen, Holly Munn, M-A Murphy, Priscilla Ojomu, for uses beyond those outlined in the Creative Commons licence,
I should be searching
Alysha Ross, Gabriela Roth, Morgan Wong, Neha Vashist, and The please contact The Community Student Engagement Group at the
Community Student Engagement Group at the University of Alberta. University of Alberta. for the symphonic formula which fits our time [...]
then I could
First edition, first printing, 2022. The Community Student Engagement Group at the University of
return to music and decency
First electronic edition, 2022. Alberta gratefully acknowledges the Heroes for Health Grant
Copyediting and proofreading by Peggy Sue Ewanyshyn. program offered by the University of Alberta’s Wellness Supports. regain a hold of myself
Book design by Alysha Ross.
of all the beauty
which has not ceased to exist
Dedication quote: Lacroix, Melissa Morelli. “Voiles.” A Most
Beautiful Deception: Poems. The University of Alberta Press, 2014. despite my oblivion
Reprinted with permission. The Community Student Engagement Group at the University of
and my deceptions
Alberta respectfully acknowledges that we are situated on Treaty 6
The Community Student Engagement Group at the University territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people.
of Alberta: Christine Brown, Brianna Bucalo, Carolyn Carpan,
Jenna Clarahan, Katie Cuyler, Debbie Feisst, Lucinda Johnston,
Melissa Morelli Lacroix. Excerpt from “Voiles,” from
Denis Lacroix, Heather Ritz, and Tiffany Sampson.
A Most Beautiful Deception: Poems.
First printed and bound in Canada by Burke Group.
17407 106 Avenue NW
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5S 1E7
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN: 978-1-55195-474-5 (softcover)
ISBN: 978-1-55195-475-2 (PDF)
DOI: doi.org/10.7939/r3-fzv7-2n87
Table of Contents
4
Time Ghost, Mari Alice Conrad 9
1
Transcendental Space, Holly Munn 11
In my Room, Gabriela Roth 13
Preface vi
Acknowledgments ix
3
Wait, Jordyn Frederick 5
2
Overwhelmed, Andrea Larsen 7
The Almighty, Ishan.A 1
5
DIS/CONNECTED, Or A Self-Translation Born 3
Out Of Pandemic Fatigue, Malou Brouwer
lockdown is making me draw so 15
many flowers, M-A Murphy
Virtual Windows, Priscilla Ojomu 17
Code Red, Neha Vashist 19
Just Getting Started, Morgan Wong 21
vii
vi
Preface
March 11, 2020: the World Health Organization officially declared the novel Students were invited to creatively express themselves in whatever medium they
coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19) outbreak a global wished and submit their creative works to what would become this publication. We
pandemic. The international community scrambled to adjust to a new mode of living, also distributed 25 art kits and invited students to participate in four online workshops
working, and functioning. The University of Alberta was no different; within days our in May and June, 2021. The workshops were intended to provide opportunities for
community had fully transitioned to an online learning environment. students to engage in creative activities with peers, and to offer direct support for
maintaining their health in all dimensions of wellness (physical, social, cultural,
One year later, the COVID pandemic was still in full force, and in interactions with spiritual, academic, financial, environmental, political, emotional, and mental).
students, library staff witnessed how the pandemic was taking a significant toll on
students’ mental health. A group of librarians from U of A’s Rutherford Library decided Submissions of creative works were accepted until October, 2021, to coincide with
something needed to be done. We conceived of a community arts initiative where World Mental Health Day events. The creative works published in this volume include
students could connect with each other in a safe and supportive online environment drawings, paintings, digital art, collage, poetry, and music, and will serve as a
and creatively explore and express their experiences of being a student at the permanent artifact of the experience of student life during the COVID pandemic.
University of Alberta during the pandemic. With this germ of an idea, we reached
out to the Wellness Supports Team to help bring this project to life, and Student Life
During COVID emerged from this collaboration.
ix
viii
Acknowledgments
This book would never have been realized without help from so many champions
and supporters. Thanks first of all to University of Alberta Wellness Supports for
believing in this project and providing funding through the Heroes for Health Program.
Thank you also to Christine Cabildo, Health Promotions Coordinator, Student Services,
for her ongoing guidance.
We would also like to thank the University of Alberta Library Leadership Team for their
enthusiastic support for this project, including Dale Askey, Vice-Provost (Library &
Museums) and Chief Librarian, and Sharon Murphy, Associate University Librarian.
To all of our library colleagues in Administration, Financial Systems, University of
Alberta Press, Digital Initiatives, and Information Services (a special shout out to the
Communications and Engagement Committee for getting the word out!): you are too
numerous to name, but you know who you are…your help has been invaluable.
To Alysha Ross, student and graphic designer extraordinaire, thank you for joining us
in this learning journey, and for sharing your inspiration and talent towards preserving
and celebrating the students’ creative expressions of their resilience during the
COVID pandemic.
And finally, we would like to thank every student at the University of Alberta for their
resilience and perseverance. To all the students who requested an art kit, participated
in the workshops and/or contributed their works for publication: thank you for your
courage and creativity!
The Community Student Engagement Group at the University of Alberta
1 He who cannot be seen, blesses all unbiasedly 2
The Almighty
The rich, the poor; the brave, the weak
The prestigious and the homeless on a street.
Ishan.A
He brings hope to the bereaved and joy to the grieved
Entangled in anxiety surrounded by fear?
Undergraduate Student Call upon him and your path shall be cleared
Alberta School of Business, Bachelor of Commerce
Amidst the darkest nights through the hopeless dawns
Enlighten to his wisdom and carry on
No suffering can outweigh his affection
My creative work is a poem that I wrote in December 2020, just after
No evil can rebel his love
the completion of my first semester as an undergraduate student at the
No sorrow can weaken his faith
U of A. I had commenced my studies in September 2020 and had not been
able to travel to Canada due to Covid. I wrote this poem just around Believe in him and let him answer your prayers
Christmas when I let all my fears, anxieties and worries related to my Surrender yourself to him and let your miseries fade away
dream of traveling to Canada go. I put my faith in Lord to make things work.
For he will be there to challenge the storms that may cause you dismay
The poem portrays a sense of calm one might feel after giving their best
Who is he?
and leaving the rest into the hands of the almighty.
A messiah or a learned priest?
Is appearance more salient than his presence that we feel?
Perhaps faith and belief are all we need
To acknowledge the almighty who cannot be seen
Just follow into his lead and see your life turn into a magical dream
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
unsplash.com/photos/4uX_r8OhJ_o
DIS/CONNECTIE DIS/CONNECTED DÉ/CONNECTÉ
Of een zelfvertaling ontstaan Or A Self-Translation Born Out Ou une autotraduction née
3
uit pandemie-vermoeidheid Of Pandemic Fatigue de la fatigue pandémique
DIS/CONNECTED, Or A
Ik installeer me weer achter m’n computer Once again, I install myself behind my computer Une fois de plus, je m’installe derrière mon ordinateur
Self-Translation Born Out Of Een flesje water op links A bottle of water on my left Une bouteille d’eau sur ma gauche
Notitieboek, agenda, schrijfwaar op rechts Notebook, calendar, stationery on my right Cahier de notes, calendrier, stylos sur ma droite
Corona vult het toetsenbord Covid-19 fills the keyboard Le/la Covid occupe le clavier
Pandemic Fatigue
Ik installeer me achter het scherm I install myself behind the screen Je m’installe derrière l’écran
en zoom in op verbinding and zoom in on connection et zoome sur la connexion
Malou Brouwer Verbonden door Skype Connected by Skype Connectée par Skype
Google Meet, Slack Google Meet, Slack Google Meet, Slack
gebonden door (de) Zoom dis/connected by (the) Zoom De/connectée par (le) Zoom
Ik installeer me achter de camera I install myself behind the camera Je m’installe derrière la caméra
Graduate Student zichtbaar voor iedereen, overal aanwezig visible to everyone, present everywhere visible à tous, présente partout
Ik ben present in Bemmel, Nijmegen, Arnhem, I am in Bemmel, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Je suis à Bemmel, Nimègue, Arnhem,
Faculty of Arts, Department of Modern Languages
Fargo, Minneapolis, Kelowna Fargo, Minneapolis, Kelowna Fargo, Minneapolis, Kelowna
and Cultural Studies en – ik zou het bijna vergeten – and – I would almost forget – et – je l’oublierais presque –
in Edmonton in Edmonton à Edmonton
Starend naar m’n eigen beeld reis ik Staring at my own image I travel Regard fixé sur ma propre image, je voyage
in een dag de hele wereld rond around the world in a day autour du monde en un jour
Covid-19 has been a time of navigating digital mediums and spaces for me
vanuit het on/gemak from the dis/comfort depuis l’(in)confort
as well as of navigating social interaction and connection digitally over van m’n eigen thuiskantoor of my own home office de ma propre bureau à domicile
de keukentafel the kitchen table la table de la cuisine
different time zones and across multiple languages. This (self-translated)
poem reflects this navigation and how it has impacted my overall well-being. Fysieke afstand Physical distance La distance physique
Spending days on Zoom had a tremendous impact on my mental, social, and anderhalve meter two meters deux mètres
Zeven- Seven Sept
physical health and capacities. Writing, like this poem, allowed me to check
duizend- Thousand mille
in with myself and to process. dertien Thirteen treize
Kilometer Kilometers Kilomètres
tussen thuis en thuis between home and home entre chez moi et chez moi
In my creative outings, especially during Covid times when all aspects of life
Dus neem ik toevlucht tot digitale verbinding So I take refuge with digital connection Alors, je trouve refuge dans la connexion numérique
blur into one another, I often find myself writing in three languages at the Hopend op sociale connectie Hoping for social connection En espérant une connexion sociale
same time. As a result, this poem started out as a single, trilingual poem,
Met vierkante ogen sluit ik af Eyes hurting, I turn it off Les yeux me faisant mal, je l’éteins
which I then turned into a self-translation in Dutch, English and French. “Updates worden uitgevoerd “Configuring update « Configuration en cours
4 % voltooid 4% complete 4% effectués
Schakel de computer niet uit”, lees ik Do not turn off your computer,” I read N’éteignez pas l’ordinateur », je lis
Terwijl de update van m’n lijf, brein en emoties as the update of my body, brain, and emotions alors que la mise à jour de mon corps, cerveau et de mes émotions
nogmaals wordt uitgesteld is once again postponed est une fois de plus reportée
Sit at my desk
Power up my laptop
Log in to my computer
5 6
Wait Okay, good, Zoom is up and running
Now I just have to wait
Here
Jordyn Frederick
In this so-called waiting room
I wait
And wait
Undergraduate Student And wait some more
Augustana Campus, Creativity and Culture
Finally, the teacher lets us in and—
But no, there’s a technical issue
The professor keeps pausing on my screen
As their internet cuts in and out
My experience with online classes in the 2020/2021 academic year.
This poem depicts my struggle and frustration. I stare at my computer in frustration
Now the issues are dealt with
Class starts
...And almost immediately, I’m bored
I try to pay attention
I take notes
Engage in discussion
But still, my mind drifts to everything and anything
That’s not related to this class
If only I were in a classroom
Able to look over at my classmates
And have a proper discussion with them
But I’m stuck here, in front of my computer
Staring at the same person for over an hour
The class ends
I don’t feel as though I’d just attended one
Not really
For my next class, I log in
Yet again
I wait
7
Overwhelmed
Andrea Larsen
Undergraduate Student
Faculty of Arts, Department of Art and Design
Medium used: Pastels on pastel paper
I created this self portrait during the summer term of 2021, in my last
drawing class. It was my final assignment and we could create what we
wanted. The entire class was online. It was every day for 3 hours and was
very exhausting. Doing art online and submitting online is very daunting.
I also had my kids home for summer break and had just left my husband
the day before the class started, we had been together for 20 years.
I was trying to get as many classes done in the summer as I could
because I wanted to be there for my kids when they went back to school
in the fall. I found that my mind and spirit were very low during this time.
It had been the first time in 7 years that I didn’t go camping with my kids
and left my home of 10 years, where I would spend a lot of time on my
back patio in the summer. I was feeling very low and had minimal contact
with the outside world. This depicts me with bags under my eyes, my
hands, one for my mind and a closed fist for the pain I felt. I was supposed
to create beautiful art, so instead I created something to show how I felt.
This is a pastel painting on dark grey pastel paper.