The current state of the world is causing immense stress for international students. Not only are they faced with the risk of getting sick, but they also worry about the uncertainty of their academic journey.
Further, as the COVID-19 virus evolved into a full-blown pandemic, higher education institutions have been forced to close campuses, recall students abroad, and postpone semesters. These actions have resulted in more uncertainty and heightened anxiety for students.
Although stress is a common experience, one should understand that it can greatly impact one’s health.
Causes of Stress for International Students
Though safety protocols are being implemented on campuses, these have unintended effects. For instance, lockdowns have forced many students to become homeless and jobless. Without campus dorms and job security, many students worry about their rents or their next meals.
Feelings of self-isolation is another major cause of stress. One in five people in the world right now are in some form of quarantine. Being forced to stay in one place for long periods of time can jeopardize physical and mental health. Studies show that self-isolation increases the risk of functional decline by 59 percent and stroke by 39 percent.
In addition, questions about study visas and permits add to the stress of international students. Prior to this pandemic, study visas have limitations when it comes to the amount of school work and breaks students are allowed to take to maintain their status. Shifting to online classes also puts them in a precarious position because their visas only permit a certain number of courses to be taken online.
Recognizing Signs of Stress
It is important to be aware of signs of excessive stress within ourselves and other people. Take note of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes such as the following. Symptoms vary per person, and other changes can appear outside this list.
Emotional:
- Irritability
- Being easily annoyed by others
- Nervousness or fear
- Depression or anxiety
- Impatience
- Mood swings
Behavioral
- Aggressive behavior
- Being tearful or crying for no reason
- Nervous habits like nail-biting or picking at your skin
- Increased smoking or drinking
- Lack of concentration
- Restlessness
- Avoidance behavior
Physical
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Muscle tension
- Shallow breaths
- Insomnia
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea
How to Relieve Stress During a Lockdown
The travel restrictions in place pose an added challenge in coping with stress, but it’s not impossible. Here are practices that the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention suggest to alleviate stress.
- Minimize watching news related to COVID-19 if it makes you feel anxious. Even though staying informed is important, there comes a point where one can focus too much on the news. Constant exposure to distressing news can overwhelm your emotions and cause you to stress out more than necessary. Limit updates during specific times of the day so you minimize your exposure to bad news.
- Find or give support to others. Talking to people you trust will take away the burden of the situation. Despite the geographic distance, technology can be used to contact your loved ones even from halfway across the world. In the same sense, reaching out to family members that could be vulnerable to the virus will also reduce one’s stress.
- Maintain a routine. Students are encouraged to keep to daily habits such as allocating time for studies or regularly showing. A lethargic lifestyle can foster negative thoughts, which, in turn, adds to stress.
- Spread positive messaging. For school administrators and staff, you can help reassure the students by employing a comforting aura in social media. Show your support to these students and assist them by answering their questions and concerns as best that you can.
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In an effort to increase international student applications, educational institutions are adding more programs involving STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) to enable students to collaborate across all related disciplines.While there are many fields of studies for international students, STEM has consistently proven to be in-demand and with a high employability factor.
While it can be more challenging to study, opportunities after graduation could be virtually endless.
For any foreign student, a degree in any STEM discipline could go a long way.A STEM Degree Is in DemandThe number of STEM students climbed steadily in the past years.
Forbes reported that international students will make up 50 percent of all STEM PhDs in the United States by 2020.
Universities and colleges all around the globe are encouraging STEM education, with more and more schools conducting STEM-related programs, classes and activities.
Students are also opting for STEM degrees because they are in demand and competitive in the world market.
In 2017 to 2018, 20% of all higher education students in the UK were international students.
However, the new visa rules could soon change that.Prior to Brexit, international students were free to use their student visa for up to two years after they had completed their studies.
This gave them plenty of time to find a job.
However, under new rules, they will now have just four months to stay in the country unless they acquire a work visa.Another change is the introduction of salary limits.
However, now for the new work visa they will need to earn a minimum of £20,800.Those who are wishing to stay in the UK after completing their degree may find it beneficial to seek legal advice.
There are several barriers that will make it more difficult to do this, including the time limit, competition and visa sponsorship acceptance.As the UK is now in the midst of the worst recession it’s ever seen, unemployment has soared.
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