Traversing The Struggles And Coping Strategies Of Students In The New Normal: The Case Of Cagayan State University

Abstract

The COVID-19 epidemic has caused major disruptions in the sphere of education, requiring a swift shift to distance learning and the adoption of the "new normal" in higher education institutions. This investigation examines the coping mechanisms used by students at Cagayan State University, a prestigious institution in the Philippines, with a focus on the difficulties they confront in adjusting to the new normal. Data was gathered using a mixed-methods approach to better understand the difficulties students faced and the coping mechanisms they used during the shift. Undergraduate students from a range of academic fields and disciplines made up the participants form College of Business, Entrepreneurship and Accountancy. The research found that the new normal presented students with a variety of difficulties in their academic, social, and psychological lives. Academic challenges included acclimating to online learning environments, having little access to dependable internet and equipment, and lacking in-person connections with students and teachers. Social difficulties resulted from a lack of possibilities for social interaction, a sense of loneliness, and diminished motivation brought on by the absence of a physical campus setting. Students also spoke of psychological difficulties such elevated stress, anxiety, and a feeling of uncertainty about the future.