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Aaron Geldert is a first-year student in the Master's Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences - Acoustics and Audio Technology. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, he is studying from home in Washington D.C. and has not been able to move to Finland. Different time zones and remote learning haven't been easy, but Aaron is still pleased with how the studies have gone so far.

What has remote learning been like?

I’m studying remotely from the United States in my home Washington D.C. It’s been challenging to adjust to a new time zone and study schedule, but I think it’s been very productive so far, and I’m glad it’s going well. It’s been hard work at Aalto, but studying is one of the best things you’d be doing in this pandemic time. I’m really looking forward to moving to Finland next year and see everybody in person.

What have you learned this fall?

It’s been a lot of new things to learn this fall. I like that the courses at Aalto are very fast-phased and focused and it keeps you working hard, of course. And in particular, for this year, working entirely online and working on group projects online with so many different international students, is of course a new challenge but it’s been very valuable so far.

Have you learned new study methods?

There is a lot of new study methods I have had to learn this year. I think that studying on your own can be very challenging, so I try to make sure that I interact in the lectures whenever I have questions. Chatting with classmates and video calls are helpful so we can study and work on things together. And it gives you some social interactions too that you wouldn’t have if you’d just tried to study on your own all the time.

What kind of challenges have you faced?

A new challenge that I have had to face is the time zone. I’m studying from the United States where the course that starts at 9 am in Finland starts at 2 am here. I had to make some big adjustments to my sleep and study schedules. But now that I’m accustomed to it, it was really worthwhile. I’ve been able to figure out how to use the early hours in the morning and focus on my work because there are not many distractions. However, it’s tiresome so I’m really looking forward to moving to Finland and working in person. 

What was the highlight of your week?

The highlight of my week was Thanksgiving. We celebrated Thanksgiving last week in the United States. After the classes, I got to sit back and relax and spend time with my family. We had a big roast dinner and watched football. It’s a good holiday to reflect on what you are thankful for. I think it’s particularly valuable this year with all the new challenges we have had.