If I had an option, then it would be regular classes over online classes: Ambika, LPU

These are first-hand student accounts on how our young population is managing to keep their exam prep or college course work going from the confines of their homes. In case you want to share your lockdown study experience, write to us at publish@shiksha.com.

The entire nation is facing a completely new situation like never before. I used to follow the news every day which was giving me an idea about the severity of the COVID-19’s impact. But I got the 1^st reality check when all Holi arrangements and gatherings were cancelled in campus and then on 14^th March, the university announced a short break till 31^st March. Like many other students,

I was not sure about leaving for home because staying on campus for 15 days was not a big deal. Days would easily pass by completing assignments. But in the end, most of us decided to depart for home keeping the unforeseen up comings into consideration. But I am really happy with my decision of coming back home or else it would be really tough to survive in this lockdown.

The entire university had access to a digital interface and an application called University Management System (UMS) and LPUTOUCH. LPU has always been quite sound digitally even before these situations so, the university handled the “study from home” situation very smoothly. Along with UMS and LPUTOUCH, the university launched another application LPULIVE where they assembled the entire concerned faculty (teachers) and the students according to the department and sections. It is an official platform for discussion and for video lectures we are Google Meet.

• UMS & LPUTOUCH application is used to upload assignments and reading materials
• LPULIVE application is used for official discussions among the concerned faculties and the students according to courses (subjects) and sections.
• Google Meet for video lectures, the link and codes for the video lectures are shared in the LPULIVE app.

I must say that the experience is way different in case of both modes. Earlier we had to wake up couple of hours early before scheduled classes, we had to get ready and reach the class but now we can just wake up 5 minutes before the class. The only activity is to connect with the help of the Google Meet link which is shared 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled class in the LPULIVE app. This is a new experience for me and both have their own pros and cons. But now I am used to the online classes.

I am fortunate to have Wi-Fi connectivity with a decent speed whereas every student is not fortunate enough to have this facility. So, keeping the current situation in mind I am quite enjoying the online classes.

But if I had an option to go for brick and mortar classes I would surely choose real lectures over the online classes. In brick and mortar classes, we learn so much and also get exposed to numerous everyday challenges which help in our development. The major missing is the 5 minutes presentation. According to our curriculum, every student has to prepare a news presentation for individual courses and present them in front of the entire class and faculty.

The faculty member could ask any student randomly for a presentation so every student is expected to come prepared in class. This activity helped us in several ways by boosting our confidence to speak publically while giving us ideas regarding everyday news from the business world.

Now, even though every other activity is going smoothly still there is no window for conducting the 5-minute presentation. It is a major disadvantage according to me.

An exceptional advantage of online classes is the extra time we all are getting. Now it is up to the students if they want to use these extra hours productively or reluctantly. I am continuously educating myself to use it productively. I have enrolled in several relevant online courses and also practising meditation for emotional wellbeing. I am trying to read at least a few pages from the biographies of inspiring entrepreneurs and legends.

Besides all these, after a long time, I am spending quality time with my family which is giving me peace and happiness. While they are getting an idea that we MBA keeps me highly engaged throughout the day with its assignments and many more productive activities. My mother never fails to motivate me if any assignment deadlines bring me down, this is extra support I am getting in this offline mode of education.

Even though classes and assignment submissions are going on without any interruption but we still don’t have any clear information regarding our final end term exam. Depending upon the situation and the government guidelines the decisions will be made. Initially, I was quite tensed but I understood that it’s not only me, but the entire world is also suffering from severe uncertainty so, I started living in the moment and indulging in continuous self-improvement. 

Get inspired, stay motivated, be grateful, stay home and challenge yourself to be a better person when you come out of this challenging situation.

About the Author:

Ambika Sur is an MBA student of Lovely Professional University, hailing from an agriculture background. She is striving hard to improve her technical and managerial skills to build out a successful career in the corporate world.