It was something unexpected. Things just changed overnight as Covid-19 wrecked our daily lives that have gone too well all these years.
Daily classes in campus have been replaced with online learning but this has quickly become a norm for many Saito University College students.
Those who have entered the second or third year studies may have missed their friends and lecturers and most of all the “together” time during lunch or breaks in between classes.
First year students however have not even tasted campus life since it was closed when they registered and all classes were conducted online.
But that does not stop them from interacting online and carry on their daily lives as usual.
Self-confessed introvert Khoo Yoon Yin said there were hiccups especially the unstable Internet line since her room happened to be the blind spot at her house.
“I had to move closer to the wall facing my sister’s room. Since both of us study online, we could hear each other’s voice as we attend online classes daily,” said the Graphic Design student.
“We laugh it off, sometimes find it funny. But yes, it is the wobbly line,” she said.
Khoo said she had spent some time at the campus before the “arrival” of Covid-19 last year but took it all in her stride when her batch was told to just attend online classes.
“It’s ok. I am an introvert and proud of it. But yeah, we can still meet and joke around even online.
“Our lecturers have been great. They make all of us at ease and there is not much difference between online and face to face classes,” Khoo who made it to Top 10 winners in the Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) Championship Malaysia Award recently.
Norhamira Ridduan who is pursuing her studies in early childhood education said it was initially difficult for her to concentrate in online classes since her siblings are also studying online as well.
“It took me sometime to get used to it. But I missed my friends and lecturers who have been great all this while,” she said.
Like many others, the unstable Internet connection added to her woes but soon she became used to it.
“I am staying in Pantai Dalam and Saito is nearby. But it is the case of being too near and yet too far for me,” said Norhamira who aspires to become a successful educator.
Nurfatehah Mohd Wahidon who is pursuing her degree at Saito Security Academy said she is happy to be with her family in Johor Baru and at the same time continue her studies.
Nurfatehah who wants to be a police officer said online classes are just as effective as face to face classes, if not better.
“The important thing is classes are not disrupted,” said the student who will receive financial assistance from the Saito Cares programme.
She only needed to pay RM50 as registration for her degree course and on top of that will receive a RM250 allowance monthly for a year.
The programme was set up to assist families who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Students, don’t fret. Adjust well to the new normal and soon you will get used to study and later work from home as well as our lecturers are well equipped with online study knowledge.
