Silver Linings: Reflections After a Year of Zoom
The month of March 2021 marked the one year anniversary of my time at Zoom University. I have spent the past two semesters “zooming” into lectures from my home in Hong Kong, where I have become nocturnal taking classes on New York time despite the 12 hour time difference. While fully immersing in the on campus university experience is incomparable, the truth is, there are many things I have come to love about my virtual experience. Since this year has come with its fair share of challenges for everyone, I wanted to take the time to reflect on the positive aspects and silver linings of online learning. While this may not be representative of everyone’s online experience, I hope hearing about mine will be helpful in providing a glimpse into the student experience, relatable to those currently taking courses online, and shed light on the bright side of this now-not-so novel situation. Below are three positive reflections from my virtual learning experience.
Making Friends Over Zoom: Those who have experienced virtual breakout rooms know they can be painfully awkward. In some cases, you are met with uncomfortable silence, with the exception of static noises, in a virtual room where everyone has muted themselves and turned their cameras off. But in other cases, you may find yourself engaging in lively conversations, ranging from class material such as the problem of suffering and evil in various religious traditions or simple small talk that turns into a conversation about the TV shows you have been binge-watching over quarantine. While I have had a mix of both cases, I have had more of the latter and have found myself engaging with people I may never have had the chance to meet during in person lectures. I was worried about the lack of human interaction I would get attending classes online, and while there are still irreplaceable benefits to in person interactions, I have found that people are more open to meet and connect than you might think. Here’s the secret: all you have to do is unmute your mic and say hi.
Building Up the Courage to Attend Professor Office Hours: Prior to taking classes online, I rarely attended office hours. I found the idea of attending office hours in person daunting and difficult to fit into a schedule full of classes, clubs, and other commitments. Since moving to an online format, with Zoom links to office hours at the tips of my fingers, I have built up the courage to attend professor office hours. With the elimination of travel time and general nerves sometimes associated with meeting a professor in person, the online format has surprisingly pushed me beyond my comfort zone and has allowed me to utilize the opportunity to speak with incredibly knowledgeable professors one on one. I am excited to continue attending office hours when we are back in person.
Connecting with the Barnard and Columbia Community in Hong Kong: Since returning to Hong Kong, I have had the chance to meet and connect with new first year students, current students, and alumni. Columbia Global Centers provided us with a WeWork office space at the heart of the city, which almost has the same charm as running into friends at Milstein or Butler library back on campus. Not to mention, through the Hong Kong students club, I have connected with alumni, who I have accompanied to networking events, a monastery field trip, and other expeditions.
Ironically, my virtual experience has not stopped me from connecting with others, whether that means through the computer screen at office hours and breakout rooms or in my community at home. With all the challenges of this year, I hope everyone is taking care of themselves and is looking forward to the silver linings!