Q: Now that you take your classes online, what is your typical school day like?

So usually I log online for my Zoom courses around 8 a.m. to 9, and then basically I'm just on Zoom the whole time. I'm just taking down notes since my professors go over a PowerPoint, it'll be recorded so we can refer back to it later.

Q: Are your lectures pre-recorded or are they live?

For the most part, my classes are pre-recorded and then we meet once a week just to go over the main stuff that we discussed in that lecture.

Q: So how has it been for you with your classes being online, how understandable and engaging are they?

So far the transition has been a little rough because I'm a very kinesthetic learner. I am a chem major so I'm very hands-on and a visual learner, so it's been kind of tough. But I'm slowly adjusting to it, I’m just trying to take everything as it goes.

Q: Have your teachers provided anything for you to help you out with this process?

Yes, they have. So the pre-recorded lectures are pretty helpful, we can just watch it over and over again if we need clarification. And then we can just ask questions when we do meet so I feel like that's kind of helpful instead of just listening to a lecture one time and then basically whatever you have is what you have.

Q: Do you feel at all that you're teaching yourself as opposed to your professors?

At one point yes because you don't have the opportunity to ask the direct questions you have. You have to take in all the information and then gather your questions and then you have to find another time to ask them if that makes sense.

"I am worried about it because I'm currently a transfer student so it's my first semester at the university. It's been pretty tough especially when it's upper division classes so I feel like I'm pretty worried about it, but I'm trying to make everything fall into place."

Q: As far as meeting up with your teachers and asking them questions, have they been responsive?

Oh yes, they have. They’ve been pretty helpful but it's just that visual aspect that kind of affects my learning but I'm slowly getting used to it so it's fine.

Q: A few other students have told me that they're getting bombarded with emails and things pertaining to their school workload, have you experienced something similar?

Yes since you're online, you have so many tabs open and you don't know where to start. Or basically it's just a lot of emails and tabs open. It can be kind of overwhelming, yeah.

Q: How have you been keeping up with everything and being organized?

So time management is probably one of the things that I'm still working on. I invested in a planner, so I write down everything and then I store everything in my phone on my calendar. Then that connects to my computer so I can double check that as well.

Q: As far as getting homework help, have you been using any outside resources?

Yes, I've been using Khan Academy. I just needed to review basic math skills and that has been working. I think it's pretty good, the videos break it down for me and I feel like it kind of helps.

Q: I understand that with online classes, you need to have really good time management and organizational skills to keep yourself on track, are you worried at all about keeping up with your classes?

I am worried about it because I'm currently a transfer student so it's my first semester at the university. It's been pretty tough especially when it's upper division classes so I feel like I'm pretty worried about it, but I'm trying to make everything fall into place.

Q: Has your university done anything to help students with the online aspect?

Yes, I believe. I've been getting emails, but in my case, it doesn't really apply since I have my own laptop, but they have loan laptops for students who are in need and I believe that there's Wi-Fi on campus in certain places.

"I mean the benefit of being at home is kind of having a flexible schedule, so you just have to discipline yourself. That's probably the hardest part."

Q: Are there any outside resources that your teachers have provided to help out with their lectures?

Not that I know of right now. I know they have TAs so we can pretty much reach out to them.

Q: How have your homework assignments been as far as quantity?

A few other students have told me that they feel like they’re getting more now. I think I can see where others are coming from with more homework. I'm not sure how it was before, but the class time is pretty short so I feel like they give us more compared to in-person classes since you can get things done as you go through the online lecture. But since we're on our own, I feel like we have to do the homework mostly out of class if that makes sense.

Q: With having to do everything off-campus now in one single space, how has that been?

I think it's been well. I mean the benefit of being at home is kind of having a flexible schedule, so you just have to discipline yourself. That's probably the hardest part. I think I sort of have a problem with it, but just with the visual aspect.

Q: I know you told me that you are a transfer student, have you had any success with meeting new people?

Yeah, I have because since we have breakout rooms, I feel like I kind of made friends there even though it's only been the second week.

Q: And have people been pretty receptive in these breakout rooms?

Yes, we got each other's numbers to keep in touch.

Q: If there is something that you could have your professors implement to make this experience a little easier for you, what would that be?

I'd say... Well since it's only been the second week, I feel like they’ve done as much as they can, so I feel like I'm just working off that. I would say just recording lectures, that's a big help and like giving us study guides.