uni 2 beyond student reflects on the challenges and learnings of 2020
Harry Jerogin is a first-year uni 2 beyond student who loves languages, cultures, and history – not to mention Rugby! This year, he studied Italian and French as an audit student at the University of Sydney.
uni 2 beyond is an initiative that supports students with an intellectual disability to experience university life at the University of Sydney.
Being a university student in 2020 has been tough, and definitely not what we expected while enjoying the festivities of Welcome Week back in late February. Harry was just 3 weeks into his first year as a uni 2 beyond student when classes were moved online.
“Moving to online study after only a few weeks at University was disappointing. I felt like I was just getting to know people and then COVID restrictions were introduced. I didn’t feel like my bedroom or the dining room were a classroom and I quickly developed Zoom fatigue. More positively, I felt safe and I could still catch up with everyone from uni 2 beyond online, even though it was not the same.”
So, when it was announced that some classes were returning face to face in Semester 2, Harry was thrilled to be able to come back to campus.
I was excited to come back on campus because that is the whole idea of the University experience. I was happy to see people face to face and not online and it was fun to be back on campus. I also realised; I learn better in a lecture theatre. I study languages and it is beneficial to actually talk to people in person.
“I hope next year we are back on campus for lectures and tutorials and we can catch up in person. I hope I can see everyone from uni 2 beyond in person regularly and the societies and sports are back on. I especially enjoy the social side of university.”
Written by:
Harry Jerogin (first year uni 2 beyond student)
Amanda Duell-Ferguson (uni 2 beyond coordinator)
