Barbara came to BTU from Poland to study architecture here. She has just started her 3rd master's semester.

"When I found out that we had to switch to online teaching, I was very excited to see how it would work. The thought of studying from home was more interesting than scary to me, though I couldn't really imagine it. The first few classes were not easy and I didn't feel very comfortable talking to professors over a microphone, but you can get used to it very quickly. After a few days it was just normal for me that we don't meet in a lecture hall but in a Webex room.

I don't think I had time at that moment to think much about what had changed or how I was going to manage it all. Since I was in the process of writing my bachelor's thesis in March 2020, without considering the circumstances, I just had to do it. I think it was a good way to get used to the new situation and just take everything that came our way as it was. In the end, everything worked out and I can't say that my studies during Corona were less organized or less interesting. It was just different than before.

I find that online teaching and face-to-face teaching have advantages and disadvantages. Online teaching is much more concrete. We focus much more on what is important at the moment and get to the point faster. However, there is a lack of social contact, small talk and that nice atmosphere that you can feel at the university. Personally, I think at the moment online teaching is maybe not better, but more effective.

The BTU as a university has, in my opinion, tried very hard to make everything work as well as it can. I just might have wished that the offer to hold classes outside in the last summer semester had been used more."