Max Myszkowski / Daily Nexus

During a pre-recorded lecture about ecology and preservation, or biology, or maybe physics, or something, Professor Aborian made a point to ensure that this material that 50% of students had already clicked away from is actually much more interesting in person.

“You know, if we were all together, I’d have examples, and demos, and maybe I’d bring in an organism that I’m talking about,” Aborian pretended. “A lot of students are actually very interested in this class and take the ones I offer in the future.”

During the 70-minute lecture, which was one of three videos that his unfortunate communication (or was it psychology?) students were required to watch, Aborian rambled on about how the online format is not only more stressful for students, but also for professors.

Aborian made a point to emphasize that even though he couldn’t see the sleeping faces while he was talking like before, he envisioned them in his head to bring about a sense of normalcy. He also paused for any questions, and since obviously none were asked in the video format, it was similar to his experience back in Buchanan Hall.

We talked to Brian Small, a third-year taking Aborian’s class as a general education requirement, who had concerns about the material. “I just can’t focus with all the distractions on my computer,” Small said. “While I’m scrolling through Instagram on my phone, I can barely keep my attention on Aborian while he’s teaching chemistry. Er, no, that’s my other class. What does he teach again? Nutrition? Linguistics? Let me check.”

Aborian keeps insisting that the 50 pages of assigned reading from academic journals “get better once you are more familiar with them,” but sources that had taken Aborian’s class in winter quarter denied his claims that the appeal of the material was suffering due to the online shift. 

Although the abrupt change to an all-online quarter is affecting many individuals, it is not affecting how interesting the topics Aborian covers in his lectures on classics, or gender studies, or calculus are.

 

Sam Franzini would like to give a raise to whoever implemented the “2x speed” button on GauchoCast.

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Sam Franzini
Sam Franzini is a fourth year student and a fan of dogs, music, tennis, stationery, and Survivor. He grew up in Florida and all of the stories about it are true.