Moroccan Students at French University Struggle with Isolation and Mental Health During Pandemic

Arrived from Morocco this summer, Abdellah Diouri, 20, lasted a week before leaving to stay with a family member, at the end of December to relax. "I was saturated! I live in 15 m², in a shared apartment, I was all alone during the holidays. I couldn’t do my internship, I didn’t meet many people... I was very disturbed!", says the economics and management student at the University of Artois. Added to this loneliness was the pain of having lost his two grandmothers in a few weeks, without the possibility for him to return for the burials. "It was a big shock," reports La Voix du Nord, citing Abdellah who regrets his choice (dearly paid for), to come to France since he had "obtained a great school in Morocco".

Like Abdellah, many are saddened by this discomfort with all its train of stress. This is the case, for example, of Marine Mignot, 20, a student in literature, history and law, tired of videoconference courses, without adapted exams, without the possibility of internships, without a campus life made of meetings, experiences, intellectual stimulation that strengthens future projects, with in the end, an uncertain future.

Thus, it is obvious "that there is a generation of sacrificed," regrets Pasquale Mammone, president of the University of Artois, who thus sees the hope that the University had of a return of first-year students on January 20, in half-groups, for the tutorials, fall through. "The ministry has indicated that this is postponed to a later date," he continues, mentioning the date of February 4. Thus, the dropout rate among students during the school year could increase by 10 points, worries Mr. Mammone.