As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, an increasing number of countries and cities are on lockdown, more and more people are practicing self-isolation. However, in this time of physical distancing, social connections remain an irreplaceable network that unites the international community of Tsinghua. Leveraging the power of digital technology, students from both China and abroad stand in solidarity, offering each other courage, support and companionship.
In early February, when China was severely stricken by the COVID-19, international students from all around the world sent words of warm encouragement to their Chinese classmates. With effective and prudent measures, the control of COVID-19 in China has witnessed a remarkable success. Chinese students have also readily extended help to their classmates and friends around the world.
Considering international students might face difficulties in keeping updated with the latest news, due to language and time differences, Chinese students voluntarily translate important notices, design bilingual instructions for their overseas classmates, and send them according to the time zone of each international student. The strong bond among Tsinghua students is not restricted within the class, but across the whole community and extends into different schools and departments.
“In our class, no one notice what your nationality is. Whether you’re from China or other countries, we are one family. I hope that all my classmates will take care of themselves and stay healthy. Although the physical gathering of us is postponed, we will always be one warm and united family,” said Chen Ruoxiao, a student from the School of Social Sciences.
Initiated by Wang Qizhi, a Singaporean student from the Master in Management program (MiM), “Coffee Chat” was originally an in-class weekly offline activity that enable locals and internationals to better know each other. Every week, participants are randomly grouped with one to two students by the organizer. They decided freely the time and place to meet up for a chat, and take a selfie at the end of the Chat moment. This semester, as Wang Qizhi observed the heightening sense of loneliness his friends and classmates were feeling due to the social distancing and isolation measures, he decided to move Coffee Chat online and invited all Tsinghua students and faculty to the platform.
“My classmates Jack, Alicia, Sophia and I initiated Coffee Chat as a way to strengthen the bonds among our classmates. Now, especially during this time of COVID-19, Coffee Chat serves as a platform for Tsinghua students to continue to connect with one another. We are even more heartened to see students from different schools and departments join us. Although miles apart, we are together in our hearts. Despite spending this semester in Singapore, I feel even closer towards Tsinghua and my MiM family. Fight on Tsinghua, and I hope to see everyone soon!” said Wang Qizhi, co-founder of Coffee Chat and a student from the School of Economics and Management.
Over the past two months, Coffee Chat attracted dozens of students from different schools and departments and became one of the activities they looked forward to every week. Amid social distancing and isolation, people have rekindled friendships and sparked conversations.
Jo?l Christoph, a student from the School of Social Sciences said “every week, I look forward to participating in the Coffee Chat and meeting other Tsinghua students for a ‘face-to-face’ online discussion, where I make new friends, share experiences and broaden my perspective about the global situation. Besides being memorable, this helps us to stay in touch and to think about each other as new opportunities arise. It is an example of a thoughtful social innovation that has become possible when someone decides to adapt an old success to a new digital environment.”.
Wang Yanjun, a student from the School of Economics and Management said “the isolation measures really made me feel lost or hopeless sometimes. No matter how much I miss my classmates, I am not good at initiating conversations. Coffee Chat offers me a very good opportunity to randomly reconnect with an old friend and also meet new friends from different majors.”
Lisa Zhou, a student from the School of Economics and Management said “I’ve participated in Coffee Chat before the pandemic started, and find it more than ever a helpful way for us to connect with each other during this time of self-isolation. It is critical that we maintain communication with our peers, even if it is only virtual. It makes me feel closer to my Tsinghua community, while my peers and I are thousands of miles apart.”
Through Coffee Chat, students from different countries and time zones hang out online with each other, share their measures and stories, expand their perspectives, and most importantly, connect with the Tsinghua community.
