We stay at home! Some thoughts on self-quarantine

Self-isolation, home quarantine, closed universities, cinemas, theatres, clubs, bars, empty streets and vehicles, rush at the supermarkets, deaths, increasing number of infected people. Some of the many things (also) Hungarians have to face during these days, and the end is not even close yet. 

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Since March 12, every Hungarian student spends their time at home. That day the government announced that all the higher educational institutions remain closed until the end of the coronavirus pandemic. From March 16 and March 20, an early, forwarded spring break was announced to give enough time to universities to completely reschedule the semester and to develop the necessary online, distance learning methods. 

Luckily, due to the developed information technology, the Corvinus University of Budapest, where I am doing my masters, sent us every important detail about distance learning. Day by day, many e-mails, Facebook and Instagram posts appeared on our screens, giving us the information we need. The best feeling is that even from miles away, we are taken care of. 

Distance learning started today (March 23), and we attended the first classes. We are incredibly lucky to have our teachers through a computer’s screen. Everyone is online answering our questions, providing assignments and documents we have to upload, giving us energy and enthusiasm to keep going. The platform we will mostly use is Microsoft Teams which is unfamiliar for many of us but still a useful and straightforward program. Learning how to use is not that difficult as many of us thought in the beginning. 

• Coronavirus – Chief medical officer urges public to stay home, avoid close contact

On the other hand, some students reported problems with the system like its poor connection, microphone and sound quality. Many of them feel uncomfortable sitting in front of a computer as they do not feel the immediate feedback and the presence of the teacher. It is something we have to get used to until the end of the semester. Also, it is tiring and harmful for the eyes to watch a screen for hours, some said.