No more waking up in the morning to jump on the bus. At the beginning of January, at the start of the school year, classes will resume in distance for students, announced Eric Berton, president of the University of Aix-Marseille.
“It upsets my organization and it’s totally different than having a teacher in front of you who captures our attention”, regrets Lola, a student in sociology. Returning to distance also means technical problems for Alexandre: “My Internet connection is not efficient, last year it was cut off and I missed half of my lessons each time. “
Globally in the corridors of the Saint-Charles site, this announcement rekindles bad memories: a home routine that sets in and the feeling of being isolated. A growing feeling as has been shown quite recentlya study by the Fondation de France.
“I hope it won’t be a new white year”
“This passage in distancing is the guarantee of a face-to-face examination of the exams”, assures Eric Berton. The aim of the maneuver is to avoid a massive mixing of students on campuses before the exams. For Cédric Bottero of the CGT higher education, this decision would be an admission of the lack of means available to the university. “We must distribute masks, hydroalcoholic gel to students … Some classrooms cannot be ventilated because of their obsolescence,” he lists.
However, some people put up with this return to distancing very well. “We are used to it since high school,” tempers Candice. “I had my rhythm in final year class but since the level at the university is more demanding, I fear not to succeed”, expresses this student in first year of psychology.
Face-to-face exams are not for everyone either. “In my class some fear a more demanding marking”, continues Candice. Exam conditions that they have never known. Since the onset of Covid-19, students currently in first and second year have validated their coursework remotely. Hicham, on the other hand, judges “the best and optimal conditions” face-to-face rather than remote when he goes to revise at the library.
While waiting for Emmanuel Macron’s announcements
Still others worry about the value of their degree. Maximilien fears “a drop in level” and therefore the depreciation of his university career. Masters students also wonder about their end-of-study validation internships although the administration assures us that they can be done. “I hope it will not be a new white year,” sighs Abdel.
They all want a return to normal as quickly as possible, and fear that this measure will be sustained over time with the arrival of the new Omicron variant.