https://portside.org/2020-10-19/students-and-covid-19-we-are-struggling-heres-help-we-need

College students are facing immense stress and multiple struggles during this pandemic. Many students have lost their jobs or their homes. Others are essential workers facing the risk of COVID-19 infection. Most are struggling with online classes. The burden of financial insecurity has added more stress on top of juggling to finish essays, meet deadlines, and the fear of getting sick. I know this because I am a senior at UCLA experiencing this stress. The federal government and universities are not doing enough to support us.

When the government announced that it would be giving out stimulus checks to households, college students who are claimed as dependents were excluded. Despite our dependent status on tax returns, a lot of students, including me, are financial providers in our households. I help pay for groceries and bills for my household every month. COVID-19 has made it more difficult for students to help provide for our families. A recent survey on workers and learners in Los Angeles County by the UCLA Labor Center found that “52% have been laid off, terminated, or furloughed from their jobs due to the pandemic.”

Many students are being forced to look into gig work or the informal economy to supplement their lost wages. Instacart has hired more than 500,000 new shoppers since the pandemic started; many of them are college students. Those who are suffering the most are undocumented college students and their families who are not eligible for stimulus checks. Although the CARES Act provided colleges with funding, universities determine how much they want to help students and which students they want to help. Again, many undocumented students are left out.

In addition to financial burdens, students are struggling with the transition to online learning, especially in a hectic environment. When I was on campus at UCLA, I could go to the library and do my work in peace. At home, my 5-year-old niece is running around, I have to take care of her at times, and my parents are talking in the background. At times when I am in Zoom classes, my internet connection drops, and I am left struggling to reconnect. This is the reality of many students. There are many college students who do not have access to computers, stable internet, or a peaceful environment to do homework and attend classes. The UCLA Labor Center survey found that 51% of students accessed classes and coursework through their smartphones, and 26% had to share their device with other household members. The situation is made worse by professors who are not understanding of students’ situation. I have been lucky to have understanding professors, but many students are faced with professors who are unwilling to accommodate their needs.

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