11 Ways to Stay Connected if You’re Remote This Semester

Photo of a student in a sweatshirt laying down in the grass at BU Beach in a mask. The student works on their laptop.

Attending classes remotely? Bring your laptop outside while the weather is still nice. Photo by Janice Checchio

Student Life

11 Ways to Stay Connected if You’re Remote This Semester

Students studying from home can still join clubs, attend social events

September 25, 2020

BU Today staff

While students on campus are navigating the new rules about socializing safely in small groups, social distancing in classrooms and libraries, and mask-wearing etiquette, those taking advantage of the Learn from Anywhere model (LfA) by learning remotely have a different set of concerns. Sure, you can Zoom into a class, but feelings of social isolation may be starting to creep in as you scroll through Instagram and see pictures of Bay State Road and (small) groups of friends hanging out.

So if you aren’t on campus this semester, how can you feel connected? We’ve picked up a few ideas from Reddit, and added some of our own to help those wanting to be part of the BU community this fall from home.

1.

Join the official Facebook group for your class (2024, 2023, etc.) for links to group chats on GroupMe or Snapchat. If you can’t find one, start one specifically for students staying home this semester.

2.

Poke around Discord for groups that might appeal to you. Here’s one for college students in Massachusetts.

3.

Miss walking around the Charles River Campus? Visit virtually on Minecraft.

4.

Find a new internship, or now that you’re not commuting to class, volunteer some of your new free time. The Community Service Center and the Center for Career Development’s Handshake online career hub are good places to start.

5.

Have you been watching recordings of classes after the fact because of a time difference? Some students recommend attending live for a few sessions to see if you get more out of the class. “I did benefit attending the classes live, as it kept me on schedule and provided the opportunity for live questions,” one user said on Reddit. “The interaction aspect was more important for lab/problem sections because I was able to ask questions.”

6.

Attend professors’ office hours. Students are encouraged to do this in normal semesters, but it’s even more important this fall. It’s as simple as a one-on-one Zoom call and can help you get face time if you aren’t physically in the classroom.

7.

Follow all of BU’s social media channels for official campus news and updates.

8.

Missed Splash? It’s not too late to join one of BU’s more than 450 student clubs. The complete list and contact info can be found on the Student Activities office website and most of them are conducting meetings and events virtually.

9.

Suggest that professors keep the Zoom chat option on, instead of turning it off…and if that doesn’t work, turn to GroupMe.

One Reddit user was disappointed when a professor shut off the ability to Zoom chat. “It’s incredibly isolating if you are 100 percent remote and know no one in your lectures, especially if you’re in a different time zone and watch the recordings instead of live chats.”

The student suggested creating a GroupMe chat for each class and sending out the link to your classmates via Zoom.

10.

Follow the new Instagram account BU Spirit, which organizes events like BU-themed spirit dress-up days and room-decorating contests. Students are invited to take a selfie or a video and post it to the BU Spirit Instagram page, whether they’re on campus or learning remotely. Prizes and gift cards will be awarded.

Organized by BU’s New Normal Challenge, an initiative where students suggest and develop ideas that could have a positive impact on the BU community this fall, these “spirit events” will be ongoing throughout the semester in an effort to build community. Look for more events later in the semester, including more dress-up days, a TikTok competition, a scavenger hunt, a cooking challenge, and more.

11.

Join the weekly Coffee & Conversation discussion hosted by the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground. Held Friday afternoons at 3 pm, this BU tradition offers students a chance to come together to discuss news headlines, current trends, and controversial ideas. One recent chat focused on how social media is changing during the pandemic and leading up to the 2020 presidential election.

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There is 1 comment on 11 Ways to Stay Connected if You’re Remote This Semester

Biuro Pogrzebowe Warszawa

December 5, 2023 at 1:30 pm

Thank you for this informative and well-written post. It’s evident that you’ve put a lot of effort into research and crafting an engaging article. Your work is highly valuable!

11 Ways to Stay Connected if You’re Remote This Semester

Students studying from home can still join clubs, attend social events

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