In the last couple of months, students have been occupied with exams and courseworks. The experience of preparing and writing assessments has no doubt been different. All assessments were conducted online. Given the odd global situation currently, the ease of gaining knowledge from classrooms may have been difficult for a lot of students. Thankfully, Surrey university facilitated an equitable level of examination mode and equipped students with online learning tools quite well. Exams to be written were either converted into 100% courseworks or other kind of assignments, or were converted into open book tests to be held on a particular day for a specific time period. These options aided a lot of students working on different time zones to fairly write these tests. Quality of education was maintained, and teachers went out of the mile to help students as much as they could.
The experience has been unique and it taught us how to prioritize modules’ study better. One can say that online assessments do not have the flavor of physical examinations, but in the end, effective learning and meeting coursework objectives is all that matters. After completion, I can confidently state that I have learned as much as I would have in normal times.
Indeed, times were stressful, where not only students dreaded finals, but also dealt with the mental strain of Covid. With the passage of time, now that finals are over and even Covid situation is improving in the UK, students are much more relieved and happier. Summer period has commenced for most, bringing hope for a bright future. Those who are in the middle of their degrees, aim to enjoy these vacations (maybe intern at a company as well) and return to university when the campus opens again.
However, graduates might be concerned about securing jobs and the future in general. Yes, job cuts have been observed, but companies are shifting paradigms where the nature of roles are changing, and recruitment is going all online. Online recruitment and work from home job roles is proving to be convenient for many, for instance, those who live in remote locations or candidates who wish to spend more time with their families.
For those who are seeking work, while granted employment opportunities might have diminished, companies are projected to recover as soon as these tough times conclude, and new graduates may find their desired roles easily. This transit time gives many an opportunity to master new skills to enhance prospects. Students in technical fields can learn more soft skills such as marketing, communication, management, etc. and those in non-technical domain can learn coding, computing or another skill with a grisly name such as these? For new and prospective students of fall 2020 and onward, bright times lay ahead as the country is in recovery mode and industries aim to evolve and facilitate the economy and create a better job market.
