Only digital lectures and no personal contact with fellow students

Germany, Erlangen, Laura, German, 25, Student,

General

How is the situation in your city/ country? Is there a 2nd wave yet?
Some politicians speak of a second wave, in Bavaria there are higher financial penalties if no masks are worn as a consequence, for example.

How did the atmosphere in your country change within the last months?
At the beginning of the lockdown there were no people in the streets or in public places. Except for the masks, now, in many situations it is the same as the time before the virus – groups of people in public places, many people in restaurants or cafés.

How are you and your family?
All healthy and okay.

What was the biggest challenge for you within the last months?
The digital lectures within the context of my studies, the missing exchange with fellow students, starting as a working student in the homeoffice without personal contact with new colleagues.

I missed the exchange with fellow students.

Measures

When did you realize how serious the situation is?
When I had to quit my internship in a children’s hospital.

How did your government react to the crisis? Which measures/restrictions were taken first?
Lockdown, Social distancing, all events for the next time cancelled.

Are you satisfied with the measures of your government? What was good/bad?
Good: Measures were taken reasonably quickly so that hospitals were not overburdened.
Bad: The different regulations from federal state to federal state, not consistent.

What would you like to say to your government?

Which sentence of a virologist/politician did you memorize the most?

I had to quit my internship in a children’s hospital.

The Virus

Do you know anybody who was infected with COVID-19 or even died?
Yes, someone who was infected, but across several corners.

Have you already done a Coronavirus test or have you been in quarantine?
No.

Are you afraid of getting infected with the Coronavirus?
No.

I know someone who was infected.

The lockdown

How long is/was your lockdown and what was allowed/what wasn´t?
2 months, in the beginning it was only allowed to be together with the same household, no group gathering, in the course of time it was allowed to go for a walk and do outdoor sports with a person outside the household.

Did you spend the lockdown time with somebody and what did you do during this time?
Yes, with my family – I redesigned my room and painted the walls white, did some workouts on Gymondo.

What did you miss the most during the lockdown? What helped you?
Contact with my friends, we did video calls instead, that helped.

During the lockdown I redesigned my room and painted the walls white.

Changes

How did your work situation change within the last months (shorter hours, working from home, etc.)
The lectures in the context of my studies were all online. I started as a working student in the home office so I couldn’t get to know my colleagues in person. Spent most of the time at home for studying/working.

How did your social life (relationship/friendships/dating) change due to the Corona crisis?
No possibility to meet some fellow students as they were in a different city during the semester. Was definitely not the feeling of a student life. I had not seen a couple of my friends for over half a year.

What impact has the Corona crisis on your financial situation?
For me personally none.

Social distancing: How does your daily life look like at the moment?
Normally I would have flown somewhere for vacation at this time. During this semester break I’m spending my time at home at my parents house, working 2 days a week in the homeoffice and meeting some friends, doing some excursions, going out for dinner, going for a walk.

I had not seen a couple of my friends for over half a year.

Perception

Who are to your opinion the heroes of this crisis?
All parents who had to keep their children busy for such a long time because they could not go to school.

What did the crisis show you?
How quickly everything can change from one moment to another.

What will you appreciate more after the crisis?
Possibility to visit every country in the world, feeling of freedom.

Which images will you never forget?
The empty noodle and toilet paper shelves, empty streets and public places.

Which stories/incidents/experiences touched/shattered you the most?
The moment when my colleagues started with panic purchases.That lectures in person were not allowed during the whole summer semester and even the winter semester will be mainly digital.

My colleagues started with panic purchases.

Perspective

What are you afraid of right now?
Of the economic and tourist consequences of the crisis and that carefree moving is not possible for a long time.

What gives you hope?
That everyone is in the same boat.

Are you planning to travel within the next months?
No.

If they find a vaccine, would you take it?
Depends on what restrictions are associated with not getting vaccinated.

What can we all learn from this crisis?
Appreciating what seems to be taken for granted.

If you could give 2020 a headline, what would it be?
A year to skip.

Appreciating what seems to be taken for granted.