HBL and Lockdown: Ways To Make It More Bearable

Major problem identified with HBL and Lockdown:

Home-Based Learning (also known as HBL) is a phrase that most students are familiar with amid a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases in the community. It applied to all primary, secondary and junior college students, as well as those from Millennia Institute and special education schools. Due to this, many things in which polytechnic students used to find joy in are taken away due to HBL and lockdown. This includes their outdoor hobbies and their social lives. This coupled with the stress that arises when coping with major changes during HBL, drastically raises the need to engage in enjoyable activities for destress through activities that have been taken away due to HBL and lockdown. This generates a vicious cycle, causing HBL and lockdown to take a huge mental toll on us.

Common routine prior to HBL and Lockdown:

1. Daily chatting sessions with friends in school
2. After-school outings with friends
3. Spending time on Hobbies: Sports, Karaoke, Shopping etc.

The changes with the current situation:

1. As classes are held virtually at home, there is a major loss of human interaction in our lives. What was once a daily chatting session, has now become monotonous sessions of staring at the computer screen. As a result, not only do we lose our social lives, but face the fear of drifting apart from our friends.
2. With HBL and the tightened covid-19 restrictions in full blast, it has become increasingly difficult to engage in CCAs and usual hobbies such as team sports, shopping and karaoke. As a result, students lose one of their main modes of destressing. When this remains unaddressed, the stress levels accumulate exponentially, eventually leading to burnouts and breakdowns.
3. That said, there are still positives in this situation:
   • Time spent on travelling to school can be reallocated to more meaningful activities
   • There is more freedom and flexibility in schedules

Some tips to deal with the issue

1. Social life:

It is important to step out of your comfort zone and find new ways to socialize virtually. Social connection is critical to our overall wellness as people. According to research, having a strong network of support or strong community relationships is beneficial to both emotional and physical health and is a crucial part of adult life. Here are some ways that you can connect virtually with others!

• Creating discord channels or Microsoft teams for regular study sessions, gaming sessions, and even movie screenings. Listed below are some sources that you can use to play with your friends online:
  • Competitive Multiplayer/team-based games: Valorant, PUBG, CSGO etc.)
  • Strategy games: Among Us, Town of Salem, Werewolf, and a huge variety of “.io” games that you can switch around with
  • Casual games: Animal crossing

• If you have spare cash to burn and want to try something new, there are numerous online bonding activities you can take part in with your friends. Virtual escape rooms would be one of them.
  • There are a variety of websites available: https://www.escaperoom.sg would be one of them.
  • Alternatively, you can even consider creating your own virtual escape room using youtube storylines and google forms! Some diplomas and universities actually used this as a club/freshmen bonding activity.

• Take part in virtual volunteering programmes with your friends (e.g: tutoring less fortunate children, performing for old folks’ homes.
  • Giving.sg is a great platform with tons of volunteering opportunities you can sign up for. You can select causes that you are interested in, and receive various opportunities catered for your strengths and likings.
  • If you have a preference for a particular group of beneficiaries (e.g: Sick/Elderly/Children), you can contact organisations focusing on these populations for volunteering opportunities. Many websites for hospitals, old folks’ homes and childrens’ homes have a sign-up form for volunteers too!

2. Hobbies:

With the extra time on hand, you can finally explore things that you never had the time to try out. Perhaps to crochet, or to read that e-book that you downloaded since forever. You can use this time to learn a new skill, to pick up new knowledge and even make plans for your future. Listed below are some handy resources that you can check out:

• Sign up for seminars, talks and sharing sessions in whichever field you are interested in. Seminars and workshops provide you the opportunity to interact with professionals in the field. Students tend to learn about the latest information and new skills related to the concerned subject by discussing pertinent issues. This puts you at an edge, giving you additional knowledge and insight that you can apply to your projects during class.
  • LinkedIn is a great platform for this. A simple google search can often find many great seminars to join too.

• Sign up for online workshops and courses. Similar to HBL, such courses save time and money of travelling. They offer flexible schedules that permit students to study at their own convenience. So why should you sign up for such workshops? You can enroll in classes all around the world, which will give you a better grasp of the global industry while also developing your networks and developing an international perspective. Thinking skills are also aided by gaining new perspectives and learning about different cultures.
  • Youtube offers a wide selection of free workshops. Platforms such as Coursera and Skillshare offer great resources too, however, they do charge money for their resources.
  • Some topics that you can start exploring early and gain a head start (if you don’t know where to start):
    1. Self analysis
    2. Career planning
    3. Financial planning
    4. Savings and investment strategies
    5. Side hustles

HBL doesnt have to be all bad. Make the best of the situation, and gain new knowledge and insights while you are at it!