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Regional student Vishani Ragobeer shares her pandemic reality of what it was like to go from being one of a few students living on a near empty campus to returning home to Guyana. Here’s what she figured out along the way and what you can learn from her experience.
My name is Vishani, I’m a journalist at the News Room, Guyana and currently, I’m going into my final year of study at the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) where I’m finishing up my degree in Leadership & Management.
For me, it was a combination of factors – 1. I knew I wanted to study at a regional university because I wanted to immerse myself in Caribbean academia. 2. I had Guyanese friends already attending UWI and they encouraged me to apply. 3. When I did CAPE, a lot of our material (especially for History) came from the UWI and from UWI Professors (like Sir Hilary Beckles and Prof. Verene Shepherd) and I just felt like it would be the place for me.
I was living on campus in the Residence Halls, and I spent most of my time during the pandemic at the Sir Arthur Lewis Hall (SAL)- up until September 2020. I was really appreciative of all the support I received during that time from the Residence Hall staff and from Student Life staff, and UWI as a whole.
I was scheduled for a repatriation flight in September, but due to a mix-up, I did not get that flight even though it was confirmed and frustrated me a lot, that plus dealing with the stress of the pandemic. When I did get back home, I was not in a good place mentally and my friends from UWI were aware of how I was feeling, and they were constantly checking to make sure I was ok. At the same time, the semester started, and my fellow Milnerites (before I lived in SAL Hall, I lived in Freedom Hall so I’m a Milnerite through, and through) kept in contact with me. We were always checking in with each other. Even though we weren’t physically together, that camaraderie was always still there and that helped me get through one of the most challenging times in my life.
Yeah, for sure. During this time, I also applied for a scholarship and eventually received a UWI Star scholarship for the 2020/ 2021 academic year because of my GPA. When I returned home, I knew I’d have to return to find a way to support my studies and I wasn’t sure if I would get back to work easily but being awarded the Star scholarship really allowed me to focus on school in a way that I wouldn’t be able to otherwise, and thanks to the scholarship, I can focus on my studies and my job as a journalist.
I think I have always benefitted from supportive editors and colleagues. Also, I think the pandemic and its constraints on social activities might actually be a good thing for me…I think? 😂
Yes, I was president of the Guyana Students’ Association in Trinidad and Tobago (GuySATT) last year and as of April, I was re-elected. GuySATT is my precious gem in all honesty. Without GuySATT last year, it would have been an even bigger nightmare. Thanks to their support we were able to assist a lot of students with getting COVID-19 tests in preparation for their repatriation flights.
Right now, we’re still assisting students in different ways and organising tons of virtual events. Every now and then we try to host a games night (Among Us is our go-to game), or we’d gyaff (Guyanese for ‘chat’) about cricket. We’d also keep in touch with other national student associations so whenever they have events, they invite us and vice versa.
I think it’s really important that you come with an open mind. You’re going to meet so many different people with different cultures and backgrounds especially in the Residence Halls and it’s very easy to get caught up in stereotypes about what people from other countries are like. But people can surprise you and be more amazing than you’d ever imagine.
Having an open mind definitely helped me connect with some of the best people I’ve ever met and now have as lifelong friends even if we don’t all come from the same country.
You should also have an open mind in the classroom. Here, you’ll hear a lot of diverse perspectives. In just one class you might have a Tobagonian, a Guyanese, a Lucian and a Jamaican in addition to a host of Trinis contributing their different perspectives to one discussion, and sometimes you just have to listen, and it would be an enriching learning experience.
Last but not least, find your national association and hold onto them. National associations are not simply a group of people who hang out on campus or chat on WhatsApp. They are pillars of support who will look out for you, share resources, and tell you the dos and don’ts of being in Trinidad and at the UWI, and generally, understand who you are and where you come from.
I definitely want to immerse myself in my upcoming final year experience. I’m most excited about my final year and I’m hoping to return to campus, at least for my final semester but if not, I’ll just pray that everyone keeps safe and that we finish this journey well.
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