MAI-SJTU Student: “Distance Learning Is Very Convenient”
What were your feelings when quarantine was announced everywhere in China? After all, you find yourself in unusual conditions, in a foreign country, far away from home.Although a week before the start of training we were offered to go home, I refused this. Then I took everything calmly enough, there was no strong desire to return home. I thought: “Why should I leave and take this virus to my country, if I suddenly become infected along the way? I would better stay and continue my studies in China.” In addition, it seemed to me that all this would drag on no more than 1-2 months.What is the situation with quarantine in China now?We are still learning remotely, but life in China has almost completely returned to normal. At least in Shanghai. Many organizations and shopping centers operate in standard mode. The only thing is that the temperature is measured at the entrance to any room, and we are required to wear masks. But we have to put up with this, although everyone understands that now it is more for reinsurance and general peace. And in many public places, the passage you require to show the application on the phone, where there is all the information about you, and that the person is healthy, quarantined, that he did not go anywhere in the near future.Your life in quarantine - how was it arranged when you were at home 24/7?It helped a lot that now is the age of the Internet, and on the Web you can find a lot of things that will brighten up your leisure time. And still sitting at home you open new horizons in yourself. Oddly enough, but it was in quarantine that I began to play sports, began to devote more time to studying the Chinese language and, of course, to study itself.In addition, students must write scientific articles, and quarantine made it possible to start working on them now.In terms of food, everything was in order, too. China has very favorable delivery conditions, so this service is very actively used not only in quarantine, but also in ordinary life. I live in a hostel at the branch of SJTU, which is located on the outskirts of the city. During quarantine, all the necessary foodstuffs and other necessary things could be ordered and then picked up from the commandant of our hostel.Is there any information when you will be transferred to full-time study?While there is news that the universities will have to open in Shanghai in early May, we therefore assume that around the same time we will be transferred to full-time studies.
What could you advise to the MAI students, who are now on forced self-isolation?I believe that distance learning is very convenient, because you have a lot of time that you can devote to study. Get out of bed, overcome a few meters, and you are already at the workplace. You can completely immerse yourself in study, because nothing distracts.In general, the current situation is the best opportunity for everyone to clear their minds of everyday routine, of daily rushing somewhere and, left alone with themselves, to reconsider their priorities, to understand what you really want to get from life and what you want to do.
