Don’t let it get you down – keep looking ahead.
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Dear students of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, dear first-year students, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to you all. What times we have been through, what months we have been through!
For a year now, the pandemic has had us firmly in its grip: our everyday working lives, our private lives, the lives of students at our university, and social interaction in every form. For a year now, we have had to grapple with unwieldy terms we could never have imagined before, such as ‘framework hygiene concept’, ‘Corona Protection Ordinance’ or, as seen here, ‘SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kit’.
And since 13 March last year, the official restrictions have also applied to our university operations. Even today, we still find ourselves in a unique situation brought about by the pandemic, which will require commitment, patience and responsibility from all of us for some time to come. I am hopeful that we will soon be able to return to the university bit by bit. At this juncture, it is therefore important to me to reflect on what we can all take away from this period – however difficult it may be – for the future.
We have all shown a great deal of flexibility over the past year. All members of staff at the university, including all teaching staff, have demonstrated this flexibility in order to deliver courses largely online and with a high degree of flexibility.
But you too, dear students, have shown tremendous flexibility: taking part in online courses and participating in a digital semester are testament to your willingness to be highly adaptable. Hold on to this willingness: you will be able to draw on this flexibility as you go through life.
After all, in today’s professional world, nothing is as it used to be: complex cross-functional projects linked to digitalisation, changing teams and new tasks are all part of everyday working life, and ensure constant change.
Constantly adapting to new situations: that is the ‘new normal’. You are currently taking your first step in this ‘new normal’: completing a degree whilst living through a pandemic. What you are achieving right now has never before been demanded of any student. Take a moment to reflect and be proud of yourselves.
The world has changed rapidly over the past few months. You, too, have faced incredible changes that came out of the blue and very suddenly. You’ve gone straight from school to university and had to adapt to these changes; you’ve, so to speak, grown up overnight, and you will certainly need this resilience in the time ahead.
Young people in particular have had to ‘grow up’ overnight, taking responsibility for themselves and others. Hold on to the strength and clarity of mind with which you are navigating these times. This will help you in the future when facing difficult career decisions or emotionally stressful situations in your personal life.
And if there are times when you can’t be strong: that’s all right too. Don’t sit alone in front of your laptop; seek out conversation and ask for support. That’s easily possible at a young university like ours. With us, you’re not just a number on an anonymous campus. Get in touch with your trusted lecturers, the student advisory service, the AStA, or simply speak to your fellow students.
But what we lack most, what we miss most, is social interaction. It’s the networking, it’s the parties on campus, it’s so many, many things: chatting to fellow students, collaborating with academics and, of course, we miss university sports and university music. All of that will return – I can promise you that. I just can’t say when that will be.
We all have to get through this, and we have the strength to do so, because over the past year we have clearly learnt to navigate this pandemic with resilience and flexibility. And we will manage it. You will manage it. We will support you wholeheartedly along the way.
Dear students, dear first-year students, look forward to the 2021 summer term.
I wish you all the very best for now, and I look forward to seeing you again – hopefully very soon – on campus in Kleve or in Kamp-Lintfort.
