On Campus in the Pandemic: Saltanat Paritova

It’s safe to say that 2020 didn’t go how anyone planned, especially not students. We chatted to some of our residents to find out what studying in a pandemic was like, and their experience with Campus Living Villages. ##Saltanat Paritova Saltanat is in her second year of a Master of Commerce at UNSW, and lives with us at UNSW Village. ###What was it like to be a student during a pandemic? The transition to online study mode was challenging. What helped is knowing that you’re not alone, and the whole world is going through the same experience. UNSW was really good in terms of technical support for online classes. ###What were your biggest challenges studying during a pandemic? The biggest challenge was to stay mindful and motivated to study. While we were in lockdown all you could do is study, and that could drive people crazy. So staying mentally healthy and being present was important. Plus, worrying about the situation back home. ###What was living at UNSW Village like during the pandemic? I met really good people in my apartment who helped me with going through the lockdown period. Moreover, the village was having a lot of giveaways and online events that were fun and entertaining. I felt safe living on campus and having the security on site. I stayed because I made friends here. I really loved the DIY tutorials, that are very interesting and engaging. My favourite events were grabbing free food from village, as it helped me to learn about different places around Sydney. The staff were so supportive and they were so friendly. I felt really close to them, as they learnt my name and apartment number. Really good people, especially Tan <3 ###What was the best thing about staying in the Village throughout the pandemic? I would say the feel of security and feeling safe. ###What are you looking forward to in 2021? I look forward to be more involved in university life, being a tutor and student council member. I look forward to meeting new people and share my experience with them.