When Darshan Rathi, who was in his final-year of Fashion Design, studying at Pearl Academy, was forced to study online from home when the pandemic struck, he was worried like any other student. He was yet to finish his final-year project and the world was in lockdown. Stuck in a small village near Kolkata, the placements looked very far-fetched to him — people were losing jobs, companies were finding it difficult to sustain themselves, the economy was adversely impacted and here he was pursuing a programme that was mostly hands-on. But not to be deterred, he started teaching kantha embroidery to the marginalised Banjara community in the vicinity and, together, they started making stoles and other interesting products.
He began to get a good response when he started selling the products online. Today, he has started his own label and he is very confident of his success. Empowering the community gives him immense happiness. He could turn adversity into an opportunity. But not everyone has the attitude, capability or guidance to do what Darshan could do. The pandemic brought vulnerabilities and added fresh challenges, especially to our student community. Social isolation had various adverse impacts on them bringing out irrational fears in many.
The post-pandemic world is as volatile as it was during the pandemic. Even as the world reboots from the deadly bout of COVID-19, there awaits new challenges and possibilities ahead in the post-pandemic world. The sudden transition of life from offline to online and then again to a hybrid model of both is proving to be a matter of question and concern for most people, especially students. With the limited in-person interactions, social activities and almost two years of remote learning, students all around the globe are finding it difficult to slip back and immediately adapt to their lives before the pandemic as well as to fit into their new job roles. Although it might seem to be daunting at first, the students will eventually have to find ways to adapt to this post-pandemic world.
Find your own pace:
It is extremely important for all individuals to reflect, understand and eventually find their own pace in terms of studying as well as work. As the online and work-from-home culture is slowly starting to fall back and offices have started to reopen, it is vital for students to understand and evaluate their thoughts on this change and then work towards a plan that aligns with their pace.
Increase your knowledge and upskill:
Adding a new skill and learning a new topic is always fruitful in the long run for any student and more so now. This is a perfect opportunity to learn and polish on technical as well as soft skills, as employers are always on the lookout for individuals who are up-to-date about the ongoings and are excellent communicators. This also helps boost one’s confidence on a personal level.
Establish connections:
If we have learnt anything from the pandemic, it is the power of networking. In the post-pandemic world, it is important to have a group or network of friends, family, colleagues or even virtual connections as support in order to progress in terms of both personal plus professional wellbeing. These connections can help one focus and work towards their goal in a gradual manner.
Think and work on realistic/achievable goals:
Although ambitions are necessary in order to motivate individuals to achieve their goals, it is also necessary to understand and acknowledge the limitations an individual has. By setting realistic goals, one will not remain under the constant fear of getting overwhelmed and therefore, work more efficiently and perform well in the later stages.
Balanced routine for less stress: The sudden transition into a post-pandemic world has turned out to be stressful and overwhelming for most of us, thus it is essential to have a routine sketched out in order to focus on oneself for a period of destressing. This pandemic has taught us a lot of lessons and taking care of oneself has been one of the most valuable ones.
Alka Madhan, Campus Director, Pearl Academy, Mumbai
