Through our lenses: Our Online Lives



With the transition to online school came many changes to each of our daily routines, from sleep cycles to study habits to classroom etiquette. The Chinese Language Program recently started a series on our Instagram story, titled “Our Online Life”, where our beloved professors, TA’s, and students share bits of their new lifestyles with everyone. “Our Online Life” is a lighthearted take on our expectations versus the reality of the massive transition to the new rhythms of work and school, but it is also reflective of the process that everyone is currently undertaking to build and rebuild community in a virtual space.

For many of the teachers in our program, the hardest part of the transition was not being able to see their students’ and colleagues’ faces. Being a close-knit program, professors would normally share snacks and tea in their office spaces and chat between classes, but COVID has taken much of that away. However, the format of Zoom allows for some rather entertaining scenarios that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. In the videos, our teachers are seen on their phones and doing workouts during breakout rooms or, in the case of Pihua Lin laoshi’s very memorable video, giving themselves foot massages. When asked about it, she said that it was actually a subconscious habit that she didn’t even realize she had developed, until she was asked to make a video. It was pretty funny, even to herself!


Expectation:

Reality:

Pihua Lin laoshi

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Expectation

Reality


Click here to watch Yinghua laoshi’s video ↓


Click here to watch Anyi laoshi’s video ↓


Click here to watch Li-Jung Lee laoshi’s video

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Expectation + Reality


For the TA’s, the online format came with its own challenges. With the need to accommodate for time zones came extended work hours and difficulty with communication. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Victoria Ni, recounts the stressful flood of emails she received at the beginning of the term. However, she also shares the casual routine of the Oral Practice Coordinator meetings, saying, “Volunteers and TAWLs may think that our team meetings are really tense, but in reality, [they are] really chill.” Her video features the team chatting and doing work over hot pot in a heartwarming look behind the scenes.

“We shot this for almost 3 hours, as I often ended up causing bloopers. We literally started filming after finishing the hot pot (we reheated the hot pot just for filming).”

CLP Volunteer Coordinator

Expectation:

Reality:

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Expectation

Reality


Students are seen doing everything they thought they wouldn’t. The videos feature students studying when they thought they would be sleeping, or sleeping when they thought they would be studying, and even giving up on work to play video games. The sudden decrease in motivation and increase in academic stress seems to be a near-universal experience with students, given the lack of support that online school provides and living in a physical and social environment that isn’t well-suited to learning.

Extra time saved from not commuting means we have some time to explore our interests and some of our hobbies that we may have abandoned because we used to be too busy! Susan Zhang (CHIN 141) found time in between homework assignments and class time to practice something she was really passionate about — ballet! Breaks might be hard to come by, but we can always find some time to dance and jive.

Expectation:

Reality:

Susan Zhang

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Expectation

Reality


Micheal He (CHIN 241) found that the transition to online life has been difficult but an experience that has truly stretched his abilities to study and work hard, even late into the evening! He found that even in the evening, it was possible to get a good workout in, or finish a bunch of assignments. In an online world, there are still ways to stay fit and healthy.

Expectation:

Reality:

Micheal He

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Expectation

Reality


One first-year student, Jenny Chen, shares her dreams of taking aesthetic notes being shattered as she scrambles to take notes as she listens to her lectures at double speed. The stark contrast between the two mirrors the jarring reality of the online first-year experience, entering the already daunting prospect of learning a new system with the added barrier of Zoom. Despite this, our students still find a way to connect with classmates and do their best to find community in the places they can, whether that be after class or in the Zoom chat.

“In October, I was constantly contemplating giving up, as it felt like my best was not good enough. On the other hand, I found myself LOVING the ability to talk to others in chat while the lecture was happening!”

a CHIN 241 student

Expectation:

Reality:

Jenny Chen

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Expectation

Reality


Here are some students’ videos:

Vivian:  Expectation | Reality

Richard J: Expectation | Reality

Michelle: Expectation | Reality

Felicia: Expectation | Reality

Ashley: Expectation | Reality

Xiaomei: Expectation | Reality

Alyssa: Combined

Richard: Combined


The experiences of our teachers, TA’s, and students might seem disjointed, as if they were mere individual anecdotes about quarantine life, but sharing these stories is an important step toward establishing a mutual connection — not through shared spaces, but through shared experiences. In a time where friends are far and the world so often seems upside down, it becomes more important than ever to be able to laugh a little at these odd shared experiences. So, what’s your story?