by Rehnuma Rahman
06/04/2021
The pandemic has opened up space for wider thinking and time that we never had before. It has given us a chance to reflect on ourselves. But not everyone was fortunate enough to have extra time to reflect because of caring responsibilities, mental health issues and personal problems. But it is never too late even after the pandemic. There are many ways to make time and look back on your personal or professional growth whether that is through journaling, manifesting or vocalising your aims. During my free time and space, I kept myself occupied and connected with the university and outside of that space by networking and setting goals for myself. To name a few of the events and programs I participated in was the Santander Development Program, I volunteered as a video editor for Lewisham Local and part-led an online volunteering event. All these activities made this year rather fruitful and valuable.
The Santander program introduced me to 8 key topics focused on personal drive, confidence, future skills for success and many more. My favourite topic was on Growth Mindset VS a Fixed Mindset because it delivered a brilliant insight on how to push yourself forward, pursue opportunities and think outside the box.
Tip: Always ask yourself – ‘What will I do differently next time?’
This is a good way to reflect on your abilities and improve further.
My short time as a video editor for Lewisham Local was a challenging experience. With only a week to edit my assigned videos with no proficient experience in overlays or subtitles, I successfully managed to complete 3 videos in time for the International Women’s Day campaign. During this period, it made me appreciate that a significant event is continued to be celebrated digitally by showcasing the work of 18 talented women in business, on multiple social media platforms like YouTube. Whilst being stuck in a pandemic, remote volunteering has helped me to feel connected with events and delivering campaigns to life.
Lastly, in the online volunteering event, I generally spoke about the benefits of volunteering and how it can be managed along with studying. But a key point I voiced was that although we are in a pandemic, there are many remote volunteering opportunities available catered to a variety of people who has spare time to participate in and make a difference whether it is with a charity or for your personal development. With more free time on our hands, we can be flexible with commitments making it less pressurising.
Overall, the key message I hope I brought to your attention is that despite being homebound and not feeling productive, it is still possible to celebrate, network, grow and contribute to society through virtual interactivity. The digital world supported many families and individuals to communicate with their loved ones and adapt to this new form of normality (Shaikh, 2020).
-Rehnuma Rahman, Second-year Goldsmiths’ student.
