Reading Week 2021
By: Maria Garcia Manzano
Having accomplished the first week back to school after the break, I figured it would be an excellent opportunity to look back and see what students did throughout this reading week. I talked to several BU students and asked them what they had done throughout this week, and many responded with the same answer "Nothing." When I asked them to verify, they all said that minimal to no schoolwork had been done and that they could not find the motivation to accomplish anything. I believe this reflects how worn down we are all with the pandemic. Given the province's current restrictions (only two visitors allowed outside of the household for indoor gatherings and max five people for outdoor gatherings), it makes sense why students are currently feeling unmotivated.
The first student I contacted is a 3rd-year Physics Major who said their reading week had been brutal. All of their midterm exams were scheduled to be after reading week, but they refused to study because they could not bring themselves to do it. However, they said that they had used their week off to work as much as they could as they had not been working their full hours due to COVID. They also said that they had tried to meet up with a couple of friends, but their schedules had not allowed them to do so. This student reflects what many other students are enduring during this time. When we have time off, we are forced to weigh our options and choose which priority to focus on. Social life is meaningful, especially during this time where so many of us went months without seeing each other. However, when given a choice to earn their paycheck or socialize, this student understandably chose their paycheck.
The second student, a 4th-year Biology major, said that all of their midterms had been held before reading week and only had to work on the presentation due after the week was done. They said they tried to work on their presentation and managed to get started but quickly got distracted and said they would leave the weekend to work. They said they spent most of their time sleeping and going on Starbucks runs and did not visit any friends as they did not want to leave their house for social visits. They also said that this reading week had felt short as it came to an end before realizing it. This student displays what I think many students thought about this week and how it felt short and as though we could have used a couple of more days to replenish our strength.
The third student, a 4th-year computer science student, said that even though they had several midterms exams coming up after reading week, they could not bring themselves to study and instead used a couple of days to visit their significant other had not seen in over two months. They said that while they would be stressed throughout the following week and would need to cram and do an all-nighter, taking a break was necessary as they replenished themselves and the break had been much needed and earned. This student showcases the difficulties couples are facing right now with the pandemic. This individual, in particular, should be applauded as they followed the guidelines and only visited their significant other when the province allowed it. They also display behavior that can help to replenish students' motivation. Taking a well-deserved break after sessions that require an increased amount of focus can be beneficial to the individuals' well-being.
Overall, the 2021 reading week was different from previous years. With the pandemic's burden and the need to follow the health guidelines to ensure case numbers went down, many students felt trapped and unmotivated. Being an unmotivated university student can have severe consequences on our grades, and I encourage everyone to use the counseling services available at BU if an unmotivated state persists.