ZOOM LECTURES have become a new shared experience for university students. Even though these new virtual lectures have been frustrating to adjust to, they have also presented students with unforgettable and hilarious moments. The Yonsei Annals interviewed Yonsei students about their memorable, comedic, or even infuriating Zoom lecture experiences.

Choi Dohwi (2nd Sem., Dept. of International Studies)

   “Although most of us are now familiar with how Zoom works, there was a time when everyone was still trying to get the hang of the new medium. There were trials and errors, but we managed to overcome such problems. Looking back now, most of the happenings are rather laughable and have become memories that I cherish. One time, my professor learned that he could mute and unmute everyone at his own will or risk. He tested it out quite a few times before he caught someone taking a bathroom break. All we heard was a flush, but it was enough to make everyone laugh. The professor quickly muted everyone back and we could tell that he was surprised. Although there was a short period of awkwardness and humiliation, the student was a good sport and still jokes about it to this day! The professor, however, stopped using the mute/unmute option and was more embarrassed than the student himself. Zoom made distanced learning convenient, but I can't wait for the day classes will come in session in an actual four-walled classroom.”

Leong Kwangkeat (Sr., Dept. of Chemical and Biomole. Engin.)

   “Last semester, I had this major class which had more than 120 people. During one of the classes, a student was talking to a friend beside him but forgot to turn his microphone off, and suddenly cursed during the class. I feel situations like these happen because Zoom classes create a distance between the professor and the students, and communication can be more difficult than usual. This semester, I was supposed to have lab lessons for my final thesis course, but it was cancelled. This affected the class because we were meant to do experiments before writing our thesis. But, because the classes are conducted online, it has been changed into a “review paper thesis,” where we just study the experiments online and write on it. I think it’s less fun and I am unable to receive the full learning experience that I could have had from this course.”

Michele Resele (Fresh., UIC, Political Science & Intl. Relations)

   “I usually take my classes in my room, and I am usually really sleepy because it’s warm and cozy. Luckily, the one time that I did fall asleep during a class, my cameras were off, so I didn’t get caught! Other than that, I feel that classes through Zoom are interesting and very creative, and this helps me keep in contact with some of the peers that I met. I find online group projects very convenient because I can work from the comfort of my own room, and it’s easy to share screens and brainstorm ideas digitally. There have been a few times where it took me a while to enter a class, and it sent me into a mini panic attack, but I somehow managed.”

Noh Ha-young (Sr., Global Leadership College)

   “I was in a class where … a family had an argument in the background during the Zoom lecture. I could hear the mom and the daughter fighting in the background while the student was trying desperately to concentrate. This was during a lecture where students were required to have the mics on the whole time, and I felt really bad for that student. Other than that, Zoom was a real back-aching experience for me since I didn’t have a table in my room. I had to sit on my bed with my laptop for three hours at a time, and it really hurt my back. I tried using my dressing table to put my laptop on, but I didn’t have a chair, so I had to sit awkwardly from my bed to watch the Zoom lecture. The way my laptop is designed really didn’t help the situation because I found a lot of times that the camera was capturing above my forehead with how the webcam was installed. Taking classes through Zoom has really been tough.”

Choi Da-eun (Soph., Dept. of English Language and Lit.)

   “Most of my major classes were conducted through Zoom. Even a play group assignment (Hamlet) was given as a virtual task and had to be discussed and recorded with the members via Zoom. This was all done in real-time, so there were some big and small happenings. One time, when one of our members turned their microphone on to speak during our meeting, the subway announcement began playing through their audio. They must have participated in the meeting while travelling on the subway! I'm pretty sure other members heard the sound because I saw one or two grins, but they kept silent. Even after the member finished speaking, they forgot to turn off the microphone. So for a while, the group meeting continued with the subway announcements in the background. I think this happened because of the unusual environment of connecting to Zoom on a phone rather than a laptop. But all members waited until the end of the meeting to tell the member that their microphone had been on the whole time; probably because they were worried that the member would feel embarrassed. I guess it's not ‘impossible’ to do group assignments on Zoom, but there are definitely limitations. Internet connections weren't always the best, so it was hard for everyone to share their thoughts. But, I think the small processes of virtual communication will remain unforgettable, especially because I was able to make friends with new peers that I still stay in contact with to this day.”

Kim To-hi (Fresh., Dept. of Social Sciences, Political Science & Intl. Relations)

   “I had a very funny incident in one of my online classes when someone forgot to mute himself and kept on complaining about the class. Luckily, most of his complaints were about difficulties with the Zoom program. The professor was very generous about the whole situation; he looked like he was enjoying hearing the gossip as well. I feel like this kind of anger has been long lost since the start of this year because people are more used to online classes nowadays. I was personally very shocked when I realized how close I felt around the people I got to meet through Zoom meetings. I hope we can go back to a normal campus life soon so that I can grow closer to my online friends.”

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   Online classes have been challenging for most, but interesting for many. Classes over Zoom are something that is unique to our time, and we will look back at them for years to come. One day we will probably rehearse these stories to our grandchildren when they ask us about our first-hand experiences in the age of the “great pandemic.”