Description

The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented issues in mental health across college students worldwide. Without knowing what was certain about the pandemic, students had to familiarize themselves with the new reality of online learning. College students felt vulnerable, as some of them lost their financial security due to layoffs, did not have access to Wi-Fi or technology to attend class virtually, and did not have a safe space to take exams. Although there is research surrounding the transition from in-person to online learning, there is a lack of data on the understanding of students’ reactions and feelings towards the transition from remote online learning to an in-person learning environment. This includes missing data on stress levels in the academic environment, social interactions, and impacts on their sleeping schedule. We conducted a cross-sectional study where we recruited a total of 104 college students at San Diego State University to investigate if mental health issues (e.g., stress) increased during the transition from online to in-person learning. A web-based questionnaire was administered to all participants where they answered questions online on their mobile devices or laptop/computers. Participants were also asked to identify their preferred method of learning, their sleeping schedule, if they felt overwhelmed, etc. Data was collected through Google Forums then analyzed using SPSS software. Overall, we found that students responded to high levels of stress when associated with online learning in comparison to in-person learning. Students also reported increased issues related to mental health developed during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, which are currently affecting their learning productivity, traditional, and in-person learning environment.