L'universo does not stop

The format changes, but not the passion: the coronavirus doesn't stop the student publication L'universo, which moves online and continues to be a voice for students' ideas and opinions even from a distance.

The student newspaper has postponed its printed issues for the moment to allow the editorial staff of Il Corriere del Ticino to devote their time to the essential work in this emergency situation. The editorial staff, made up entirely of volunteer university students, however, wanted to remain close to the community of readers despite their distance from the university campuses, and to provide even more online content (www.luniverso.ch).

"The work of L'universo did not stop, on the contrary, it wanted to make the students' voices heard by launching a survey on the student community mood, emotions and opinions" explains Antonio Paolillo, editor of the magazine and Bachelor of Philosophy student at the Institute of Philosophical Studies of the Faculty of Theology in Lugano. A positive opinion about the rules and measures adopted to deal with the emergency and the great concern for their loved ones are two aspects that are particularly present in the answers given by the students. As well as many new ideas to remain active even at home. "There is no room for boredom and idleness, the days are organised between following lessons, study, training and the rediscovery of passions that we struggled to fit in our lives before. There are those who are learning or improving their skills in another language, those who pick up the guitar again, that was lying in a dusty corner of the room, those who turn into a masterchef, those who finally start writing the novel they began and never finished, or those who watch that film that they would have liked to see long ago without ever finding the time," says Paolillo.

USI has been committed from the beginning to implementing digital tools to follow the courses and give lessons even at a distance, rethinking the design of the learning and teaching experience. These new methods and the effort of the academic body in wanting to ensure that the semester would take place, even if in a different way, was appreciated by students "eLearning is certainly a way to continue our student routine without excessive delays, even if the human relationship with colleagues and professors is lacking" continues Paolillo. The next step will be the online exams, with three methods that teachers will choose and present to students shortly.

With his contributions, the Universe enters the homes of university students and their families and tries to reduce the social distance that, especially for students away from home, is difficult to bear: "the student world is tight-lipped and finds the strength to face this particular situation with the awareness that it will soon be possible to meet again on Campus" concludes Paolillo.

To explore the topic in more detail in the quicklinks we propose Antonio Paolillo's commentary published in Corriere del Ticino Online.