I t is often said that `` Life is not always a Bed of Roses´´. Certainly, each individual has to experience ups and downs, i.e. both good and bad happenings in life. According to human nature, although we tend to happily embrace decent aspects of life, we are more likely to consider challenges daunting, and feel intimidated. Most of us often have an opinion that challenges bring us only terrible predicaments. From my perspective, if we view challenges opportunities to learn and grow, and take actions sensibly, we can make the most of challenges.
Currently, the news of the Coronavirus has become a very hot issue among the people from all walks of life. Since the outbreak has been causing a significant number of deaths and a great deal of confirmed cases worldwide, it was declared a pandemic by the Public Health Emergency of International Concern by WHO on 11 March 2020. It is understandable that many people residing across the globe, including our nationals, go panic, and are very anxious of the life-threatening disease. As negative impacts of the pandemic, we are encountering economic and social crises in our daily lives as we are required to do social distancing, stay at home, and self-quarantine to lessen the spread of the virus, and protect ourselves. Thus, one cannot deny the fact that these aforementioned situations and circumstances are challenges for us to go through and overcome. Indeed, it is sorrowful to encounter such an undesirable national health dilemma. However, on the other hand, these challenges somehow offer us opportunities, especially in the areas of learning and development.
For the sake of being productive during our stay-at-home period in time of the pandemic, a considerable number of the world's prestigious universities and institutions are now offering online courses free of c h a rge . These online courses cover a myriad of fields, ranging from Languages, Humanities, Arts and Designs, to Business, Programming, and Engineering, etc. Some courses even grant certificates to those online learners once they are eligible. Obviously, getting access to such fabulous online courses would be a sort of treasure for those who are passionate to continuously learn one subject after another at their own pace and at the time of their convenience. In addition to online courses, we can also download numerous books of both local and international authors for free, and read the e-books to our heart's content. Thus, those who are avid readers may certainly find their paradise in the prevalent availability of a wide variety of e-books.
Another noticeable opportunity during the Coronavirus outbreak is the emergence of online learning in the education industry in our country. Since the schools and courses are also required to close for a while in order to avoid the mass of people during the pandemic, many teachers and students are now engaged in online learning. Although learning in our country has taken place in traditional, physical classrooms most of the time, most of the teachers and the students in our country are now continuing their respective classes online through video conferencing and group chat using Google Classroom, Zoom, and other social networking sites. As a result, both teachers and students get themselves familiar with online communication tools, and do apply the usefulness of these applications and websites in the learning process.
In a nutshell, having to do self-isolation at home during the Coronavirus pandemic may be quite tough at times. But it would be smart of us to exploit available online resources, and equip ourselves with the skills we want to develop in us while staying safe and healthy at home.
By Kyal Sin Phu
2nd Year Honours Student (English Specialization)
University of Yangon
