Hello my loyal readers!

I know you could hardly wait to hear about me, the KuMa's and the study situation again. This article will be the last in our little article mini-series for the time being. And just like Gossip Girl or the new pre-Victorian version from Bridgerton (- long live procrastination!), I'd like to take a little look back at the past semester. So grab the nearest snack and ENJOY!

As fate would have it, the end of the semester is now almost upon us. But for this reason, I'd like to try and sum up and dig out my first article for the Faculty MK homepage once again. For those who have accidentally forgotten it due to all the bulimia learning, like the many important and/or interesting or relevant theories: I've linked it for you again in the gray box below ("Welcome to Team hybrid!"). So, what were our wishes and dreams at the beginning of the winter semester 20/21? What were we afraid of? What were we longing for? I don't want it to be all cheesy. But in addition to my opinion, which I'm also allowed to express publicly here (I checked again), I also asked other students and Prof. Dr. X what they thought.

I think we can all agree on one thing: the university has managed to pull off face-to-face teaching by the skin of its teeth. Respect. One class after another went into quarantine, but every single one of them came back. After it felt like everyone had had their turn, face-to-face teaching actually stopped when the pandemic peaked. Until the exams.

But let me rewind to what has happened so far: "Welcome to the hybrid team" was my first headline. I urgently need to correct something and enlighten you! Sometimes I'm really at a loss and had to find out what hybrid teaching means. In my first article, I explained that teaching will take place both face-to-face and online. I had 1. not understood and 2. not realized that all face-to-face courses should offer both formats. One lecturer moved his courses online from the outset. Another insisted on presence, because technology is such a thing - who doesn't know that? At this point, I would like to praise Prof. Dr. Maiwald(praise me - how old am I again?!), and not because two of my exams are still on his desk (she said with a wink while writing this article). Mr. Hummel also made a positive impression in this regard, but I already wrote about him last time - as always, you can find the link in the grey box below.

Back to Prof. Dr. Maiwald. No kidding, Mr. Maiwald took up the challenge and pursued the concept of hybrid teaching, albeit later. And he did it as good as possible, considering that he had to both stand in front of a crowd of young adults and at the same time look into the camera to include the quarantined people sitting at home. So the popular face-to-face lessons were maintained, but nobody was excluded because they had to sit at home.

I naturally let Mr. Maiwald know of my recognition and asked him for his views on the hybrid plans at the beginning of the semester:

"Even the start of the semester was different, natch. You could tell that, okay, everyone was struggling with something: whether it was with exams, current events, everyday things and, above all, the current situation. And that's why it was okay. If they don't want to or can't come here now, then we'll do it with the tripod and try that. I don't think it all worked out perfectly. But that's also all a matter of adaptation, so it was better than nothing at all. I thought it worked. In the end, the online-only lessons were even better because you could set yourself up better and I think the recording was an important story, especially in terms of input, because you also noticed that people were working on it. I also have to admit that it was a certain relief to be able to go online at the end. This double burden was exhausting. But all in all, we mastered the semester and learned a lot."

I have nothing more to add.

Or rather Badische Beamtenbank, Bayrischer Beamtenbund, Bremer Baumwollbörser? Nooooo, the meaning we are actually looking for is listed in Wikipedia - friend and helper - at number 14: Big Blue Button, who would have thought it.

As a student assistant at the careers service, I have been working with the system for almost a year and I quickly had to put my skepticism aside. Since the winter semester 20/21, it has been used to provide support alongside face-to-face teaching. The advantages are easy to see: - open the laptop 5 minutes before the lecture and enjoy a cup of coffee in bed; - don't feel like it today or have that really important dentist appointment that we've been putting off again and again? No problem, I'll work on the lecture later; - I don't know the answer right now and I'm called on? Oh, the event is just soooo bad and many more. Disadvantages can be seen on a deeper level: the whispering, the mischievous comments from the class clown or the additional information from the nerd are absent. There are no more meeting glances or laughs for a good quote from both the student and the lecturer. This makes interaction with each other difficult and also more stressful. However, we did very well and passed the semester with flying colors - or at least just barely.

As I have now studied at the HSZG for several semesters, I can perhaps give you some helpful advice for the future.

1. "If you love your studies, you procrastinate!" DON'T! Or only to a certain extent. Take it from someone who had to rewrite three exams at the beginning of a new semester. Things always turn out differently than you think. So see how it fits into your schedule, but also take into account that something might come up.
2. Index cards! Wow. I don't know why I've only just come across these glorious things again. But just writing them down is memorable.
3. Cheating. Preparing the little piece of paper is help enough in itself. Copying is half the battle. If you try anyway: Please don't get caught, sooo embarrassing (I could imagine)!
4. Teamwork. Both within the class and outside. Get together, divide up tasks and ultimately make them available to the group. Ask other year groups for information - hehe. How did the exam go, what were the main topics? Take away the fear of the younger ones and fill your karma account ;)
5. Do projects. The best way to learn and internalize theoretical knowledge is to apply it! What was that again about working student jobs/internships/Zuvi/Campus Openair/etc.?
6. Enjoy your studies and procrastinate sometimes. Who am I telling? But when you think about how old you are: You'll probably be working for the rest of your lives. So cheers and off to Netflix/Amazon and in better times in the sun with a few people and a cool drink & maybe the barbecue? But beware: take point no. 1 to heart.

Now I'll drive away in my carriage without fear or say: You know you love me - xoxo, Gossip Girl
aka Rebecca Ahlers, KuMa 5th semester and maybe finished one day.