Covid Update

When Coronavirus Popped the Franklin Bubble: Where do we go from here?

ar — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 14:58:08 +0000

When Coronavirus Popped the Franklin Bubble: Where do we go from here?

March 3, 2020

ar Mon, 04/04/2022 - 16:58

Asa Yangsirirsuk '21.5

Welcome back or welcome to Adventures at Franklin. There’s really no way I could have avoided writing about this topic, so here it is. I wanted to provide a quick summary of everything Coronavirus related that impacted FUS in the past 10 days or so. From the outbreak and cases in Lombardy, all the way to the Academic Travel decision, here’s how we got to this point.

21 February – 23 February: First major outbreak of the Coronavirus in Europe, located in Lombardy.

23 February: President Warden writes a letter. No need to panic. Franklin will follow the recommendations from cantonal authorities. Classes for Monday February 24 are cancelled. A decision will be made about classes for the rest of the week. The university remains open. No documented cases in Ticino at the time. Students and staff in Lombardy asked to stay in their homes.

24 February 2020: Dean SSB (also the Vice President) writes a letter. Cantonal authorities decide not to take restrictive measures. No confirmed cases in Ticino. Classes will be held for the rest of the week.

25 February 2020: Dean SSB releases another letter. First case of Coronavirus in Ticino with a 70-year-old man. Contained case, there is no need for additional precautions. President’s Cabinet will meet on Tuesday, March 3 to make decision on Academic Travel.

26 February 2020: Dr. Robinson, an infectious disease specialist and father of a Franklin student, sends a message. Dr Robinson calls for us to look at the Coronavirus with some perspective. Coronavirus captures the headlines because of its rapid spread and novel nature and yet diseases like Influenza are just as prevalent and deadly. He advises to avoid large groups of people when viruses are spreading in the community, eat well, sleep a lot, stay put, study hard and get good grades.

26 February 2020: Letter from Dean SSB. The 70-year-old man infected with the virus is recovering and will be discharged. Situation is stable. FUS evaluating the possibility of cancelling Academic Travel trips as a precautionary measure. President’s Cabin will make the final decision on March 3.

All letters and messages to this point found at: /services/health/coronavirus-information-and-updates

27 February 2020. Follow up letter from Dean SSB. Canton prevents school travel outside of Switzerland. FUS Academic Travel courses will be kept on campus. There will be special sessions on campus during the weeks Academic Travel was going to have taken place.

This letter found at in its entirety at: /news-events/news/1103-coronavirus-update-canton-ticino-prevention-measures

So that’s how we got here. These past 10 days or so been very odd and fragmented. There were no classes last Monday and many people did not show up even after classes resumed. Yes, students were told that travel may not happen, but it seemed more of a cautionary tale than an inevitable reality. Many students only began to believe that we would not travel when… well when we were told yesterday that travel courses would be kept on campus. We often talk about the “Franklin bubble” meaning things happen, but we live in our little world here at Franklin, unconcerned and unaffected. The Coronavirus has definitely popped the Franklin bubble.

This situation sucks, no doubt about that. Academic Travel is one of the most fun and exciting times in the semester. Those who have been on travel absolutely love it. Many of my fondest memories from Franklin have been over travel. People come to and in some cases, stay at FUS because of Academic Travel.

I want to end with a reminder that in testing times, we all must consider our actions.
Firstly, the situation evolves everyday, and a degree of transparency must be maintained. Information can provide clarity and perspective. The university has released/will release updates with answers to some of the larger questions, such as: who made the decision? what will we do exactly during the allotted time period for travel? will the money/supplement we put into travel be returned or used in other ways? As new information becomes available, there is no doubt that we will have more questions and we will need more answers. Nonetheless, maintaining a communication channel is essential in difficult times.

Secondly, actions do speak louder than words, but we must ensure that what we put out there will contribute in a positive manner. Our time, energy and actions must work toward solutions, rather than spreading hate. Let's make the most of this unprecedented situation. Also remember, the show must go on. There are still midterms to take, and a week of activities to follow that. Try to stay positive and Carpe diem.

A presto,

Asa

The Online Class Experience and #FranklinWeStand

ar — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 14:45:51 +0000

The Online Class Experience and #FranklinWeStand

March 31, 2020

ar Mon, 04/04/2022 - 16:45

Asa Yangsirirsuk '21.5

"Tough times never last, but tough people do." -Robert H. Schuller, American Televangelist.

Welcome back or welcome to Adventures at Franklin! This blog looks at the happenings on campus at ��ӰԺ and recently, not much has been happening physically on campus. To be fair, not much has been happening physically in many parts of the world. We have gone digital! Actually, I should be a bit more exact, as many of us already spent regular time on the digital realm beforehand. *For the most part, different aspects of our lives such as interactions, work, classes, travelling, exercise etc. are online*. I wanted to touch on the online class experience for students, as it is the biggest recent change for many FUS students. Afterwards, I look at the #FranklinWeStand movement, as a reminder to stick together :)

My online learning has been split into two different forms. For both forms, homework is largely the same (readings, worksheets, writing assignments etc). The difference lies in the actual class meetings.
In the first form of my online learning, I have video calls with the professor and the rest of the class, either on Zoom or Microsoft Teams. The benefit of this system is that we can still have discussions, ask questions, and receive and or provide answers on the spot. For some classes, we also have the video calls at the same time that in-person class would have taken place, which provides some sense of routine.
For the second form of my online learning, I watch pre-recorded lectures from professors. The benefit to this format is that it really opens my schedule up. I can watch the lecture whenever I want and wherever I want. I also feel that this format allows for easier concision and clarity regarding the content of the class, albeit at the loss of discussions and in moment questions/responses.

With the switch to online learning, the obvious question is: how effective is online learning?
The short answer: although some people may actually perform better from online learning, virtual classes are generally not as effective as in-person classes. It is more difficult to stay engaged in an online setting due to increased distraction opportunities and less oversight. However, right now virtual classes still allow for students to access material, and in some cases it still allows for engagement and discussion. This fact alone makes online learning a lot better than having nothing available, and I applaud schools everywhere for their adaptation to the situation.

In this less than ideal time, the Franklin community is launching the #FranklinWeStand movement to display unity and to stay connected with one another. The gist is to take a photo with Franklin gear, have a sign that says #FranklinWeStand, and post on social media or email it to marketing@fus.edu
If you want to read the full statement then here it is: /news-events/news/1118-franklinwestand-join-the-campaign?fbclid=IwAR3RBzE-jKrlt7M5xu6RWWmMpxaI1dgUixkM8VGD3TUIiTC1Hh_xpmiFC48

And here are the contributions once again :)

And here is my contribution ;)

This great initiative is a reminder to stick together through difficult times. Tough times never last, but tough people do. We will get through this! Join the movement :)

Stay tough and a presto,
Asa

COVID-19 and Boredom

ar — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 14:42:02 +0000

COVID-19 and Boredom

March 22, 2020

ar Mon, 04/04/2022 - 16:42

Asa Yangsirirsuk '21.5

Welcome back or welcome to Adventures at Franklin. Today I cover a bit about the current situation and boredom, but first A LOT has happened since my last post. Here is a brief recap.

At Franklin, in-person classes initially suspended until March 29th, now extended to April 19th. Online classes will start on March 23rd. The dining hall remains open, with a cap on number of people who can enter. More information found here: /services/health/coronavirus-information-and-updates

In Switzerland, the government has instituted a nationwide ban (until April 19) on all private and public events. Shops, restaurants, entertainment venues are closed. Grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations remain open. People may not congregate in groups of 5 or more (violations result in a 100 CHF fine). More information about the situation in Switzerland:

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/covid-19_coronavirus--the-situation-in-switzerland/45592192

I’m not a specialist or an epidemiologist, so I don’t want to write too much about specifics on the virus and the situation in the world. However, I did want to share 2 brief general thoughts. First, an interesting quote I heard this week: linear solutions almost never tackle exponential problems. Some may see these measures as an overreaction, but these new regulations are meant to provide time. The virus has outpaced the medical literature up to now, so if there is more time, then we can provide more insight about the uncertainties. It takes time to manifest symptoms, so we do not know who is infected right away. Hopefully through this pause and isolation period, we will learn who is truly infected and our finite medical resources can be efficiently allocated. Finally, the virus is growing exponentially, so social distancing/self-isolating ourselves can limit the growth and relief the stress on medical services.

In an ideal scenario, we can look back in a few months and say that we overreacted. Right now, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Secondly, be cautious and cognizant, but do not panic. Don’t go to a hospital if you’re not extremely sick. Medical resources, doctors and nurses are finite. Don’t panic buy everything from the store. We don’t need a food or toilet paper shortage to worry about as well. Follow the guidelines, but do not panic.

Although the situation continues to change every day, one apparent thing is that our daily routines will have to change to some extent. For some, staying inside means more free time, and that means possible boredom. Boredom has always fascinated me. Did you know there’s 5 types of boredom? The Springboard Center provides an overview: https://www.springboardcenter.org/five-kinds-of-boredom/

For the sake of simplicity, I’ll stick to type 1, indifferent boredom, where you feel relatively relaxed and calm. This type of boredom can be positive, as you can find creative things to do with the extra free time. Funnily enough, I’ve already written a post about “things to do during the long weekend”, in which many of my suggestions still apply. We can still exercise (indoors), call friends/family, do chores, get some work done, catch up on sleep, watch things online, spend time on hobbies (indoors). Read more about these suggestions here: http://adventuresatfranklin.fus.edu/2020/02/10-things-to-do-during-long-weekends-at.html

That’s already 7 suggestions, but I do have one more: learn something new and or get a new hobby. Imagine if this pandemic and quarantine occurred a decade ago, or 2 decades ago. We would have been worse off. Nowadays, we have access to news, entertainment, and communication all within a few simple swipes and clicks. Use that technology to learn something new! You can learn just about anything from videos on YouTube. You can find articles and posts about how to do or make things from a simple google search. Learning new things or finding new hobbies is a great way to stay busy! Also, this pandemic has put life on hold for a bit, but when life does hopefully resume, wouldn’t it be nice having a new skill or skills to your repertoire? I certainly think so.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and see you in my next post :)

A presto,

Asa