"And then came Corona" - three semesters have already been shaped by the pandemic and there is no real end in sight. Is it even possible to study a practice-oriented course like forestry virtually? I would like to tell you a bit about our student council work over the last 1 ½ years.
It all started in January 2020 with an excursion to Steinways and Sons in Hamburg. Here, the students were able to see a way of processing tropical woods, namely the loving construction of grand and upright pianos. The day began in the wood store and steered through the entire production facility to the end, the sales room. The participants were given a detailed insight into the processing of tropical timber with all the special features and risks.
Then in February the exam phase was just around the corner and everyone disappeared into their study cells. At the beginning of March, the completed exams were celebrated in Thanners or with a barbecue in Kellnerweg.
The semester then started differently than expected. Instead of sitting with friends in the lecture hall and watching the dogs romp in the meadows during the breaks, you looked at your laptop in isolation and tried to find motivation to learn the material somewhere. Communication took place exclusively via e-mails or Big Blue Button. But there were also good sides. You could enjoy the first lecture at 8:00 a.m. in your pajamas on the sofa or even in the holiday apartment on a North Sea island. A semester without pants also has advantages.
We also had to hold our student council meetings in such a Big Blue Button room, which was very unusual and often very tiring at first. Since there was no interpersonal eye contact, emotions boiled up very quickly. Above all, we as the student council asked ourselves: How do we design the O(rientation) phase? How do we enable students to get to know their fellow students and their campus? The solution was called "Love.Me Media". With the guys from this company and some volunteer actors from the student council, we set up a virtual campus tour. A great project, which was a lot of fun and the result is impressive (virtual campus tour)
Unfortunately, the exam phase in February and March did not go entirely smoothly. Corona then came very suddenly for many and the switch to a digital form of exam was not easy for many, both lecturers and students. The concerns of the lecturers that the exams would all have an average of 1.0 were ultimately unfounded and the feeling of the students that the exams were too difficult could be eliminated.
Finally, I would like to emphasize the outstanding change that has taken place in the last year, which affects the cooperation between the student representatives and the representatives of the dean's office. As the student council, we now have the feeling that the topics that affect us students are received and taken seriously. A better understanding on both sides for each other - I am very grateful for that and hope that this will remain the case for a long time to come.
Josephine Trisl (spokesperson FSR Forst 2021)
