Connectivity, community, and sense of belonging

This chapter illustrates how the change to a virtual setting challenged students' social connectedness and sense of belonging. It demonstrates how students found a way to build social connectedness in a virtual setting that reinforced their sense of community. The chapter discusses how Students of Color experienced the COVID-19 interruption. It offers insights into whether thriving in college is even possible for students when their means of creating community have been disrupted. At the University of Utah, the detachment was experienced by students in their interactions with faculty and their relationships with their friends, peers, and classmates. The closing of campus and the shift to online learning also limited students' social connectedness with friends, classmates, and peers. Students also relied on new communities to gain motivation and achieve academically. University employees were also a part of students' relational communities. Some students created a strong emotional connection with staff members, such as advisors and student affairs professionals. The pandemic and the resulting educational changes added another layer of complexity to the academic experiences of Students of Color. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Mental health, motivation, and emotions

The true impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has yet to be seen. This chapter explores how students did and did not thrive in college as a result of the pandemic's impacts on their mental health. It explores general findings, and then examines the unique experiences of Students of Color, who, in many cases, were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Student participants conveyed that their mental health declined, which resulted in diminishing motivation to complete schoolwork. However, emotional support networks, school resources, and therapeutic outlets assisted some students in overcoming the barriers to success. Although accessing counseling services proved difficult for some students, those who did have access felt these services improved their mental health. The online class format posed many challenges to students' motivation. While videos and taped lectures were easily accessible resources that professors were forced to utilize due to the abrupt shift to online learning, these students' statements illustrate that they were simply no substitute for inperson interactions. While peer interaction can serve as a catalyst to learning, the lack of it during spring 2020 proved an inhibitor to participants' thriving and motivation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)