And the Fall semester verdict is out... 3 potential impacts of Fall 2020 online

Given some recent of the recent developments around COVID-19 and the fall semester, we thought it relevant to dive into some of the potential effects of extending distanced learning. Right before Episode 2 of the podcast was recorded, Laura and I had both heard from our respective universities that the fall 2020 semester would be taking place entirely online. In conducting some preliminary research both online and via our networks, we quickly discovered that most every school in Ontario is following some sort of distanced learning variation. Although we believe it to be a necessary course of action, we were nevertheless able to speculate on some of the unique effects extending online learning to the fall may have on students and their schools.

First and foremost, let me reiterate that we are in full support of this decision. In this context, health and safety is top priority. However, feeling a little disappointed or discouraged is very normal - Laura and I share in those feelings, as do many of our colleagues and peers. It's no secret that the in-person classroom experience it a tough one to replicate. So, with this being our new reality for at least another semester, what might we observe?

1. Clubs and Extracurriculars

If you've gotten this far, you likely know of our involvement with DECA U Canada. If not, some additional context may be necessary: DECA U is a non-profit organization that hosts business case competition events for students. With our day-to-day situation in constant evolution, we are closely monitoring the updates at both the Federal and Provincial levels - especially as they relate to our ability to organize and host events.  Our own agendas aside, we are concerned for the short-term future of all clubs and extracurricular activities on campus. If the verdict around fall semester classes are any indication, we can expect two things for certain: (1) there will be restrictions imposed and adjustments made to on-campus events; and (2) there will be different rules for different areas. The Ontario provincial government's approach to re-opening its communities serves illustrates this idea well - higher risk areas remain under tighter restrictions than those with lower COVID-19 case numbers. In other words, we might see some schools with some limited in-person activities on campus, while others remained highly restricted. May we also note that although some schools or campuses may have more relaxed regulations, we should not ignore the gift of our own common sense. 

To all students interested in getting involved: keep an eye on your faculty's social media pages for club announcements and advertisements - read up on them as they could very well suit your interests! You can also ask mentors or friends in upper years for their recommendations. Without critical in-person promotions during the first few weeks of class in September, many clubs will be relying heavily on their social media presences to welcome new members so keep an eye out.

2. Incoming Students

First year students may arguably be the most affected by COVID-19 related changes to our academic institutions. This fall semester are key "informative" months in any student's post-secondary experience. With the cancellation of all in-person introductory events, such as orientation weeks and faculty information sessions, incoming first year students are losing out on this highly anticipated and relatively important rite of passage. And what about the residence experience? Schools are moving to reduce capacities and implementing processes to limit the amount of contact between students in their dorms. This will undoutebly translate into additional costs for students living in residence this year. What about the students whose abilities to attend post-secondary are contingent on the availability of housing on campus? As we discuss in the podcast episode, we expect many students will chose to defer their post-secondary offers another year until these hurdles can be ironed out. It seems as though the risks and repercussions outweigh the benefits in this situation. As Laura highlights, her first year in residence was when she met the majority of her friends and they were pivotal to her growth and development as both a student and a young leader.

3. New (and soon-to-be) Graduates

New grads – we see you, we hear you and we most definitely feel for you. For those of you that finished in April, you've missed out on several milestone moments in your academic careers and we understand that no online alternative can fully replace them. It's tough to predict exactly if and how post-secondary institutions will remedy the cancellation of 2020 commencements and graduation ceremonies in the long-term. This period in life generally marks an important transition into “real” adulthood – your first career moves, no more student living, and beginning to consider laying down some more permanent roots. With the near future being so uncertain due to COVID-19 , graduates are already facing a somewhat slumped job market. In addition, job resources offered by schools for new and soon-to-be graduates, such as alumni events and career resources, will need to be completely re-vamped to include distanced alternatives. With this being the case, how might schools adjust their resources to respond the new norms of job hunting In turn, how will grads react to these additional hiring challenges? Will some industries come out of this flourishing with new talent, while others fall even further behind? Perhaps we will see the effects of inconsistent or diminished opportunities in graduate unemployment rates. Or, even in master’s programs - could we see a spike in applications to grad school? And will these programs become more competitive as new grads seek out other alternatives? All are worthy considerations.

Whether you're a first year student, a new or soon-to-be graduate, or your life's journey has been derailed in some shape or form due to COVID-19, we must all remember that we are in this together. Now more than ever, we must continue to move forward with a united front, respect the rules imposed for our own well-being, and fight this virus with a consistent effort. On a final note: to all the front-line and essential workers battling the virus head-on every day, we are tremendously grateful for you. Thank you.

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Listen now to Episode 3 of Quarter Down, The Podcast!