Students Experiences during Covid-19 outbreak
Living through the COVID-19 pandemic, never experienced before or even remotely imagined has affected all of us in some ways or the other. It has had severe health, economic and social consequences. It has made us all question our own paradigms and the lifestyle changes we need to adopt in order to live responsibly.
In order to understand the impact from a personal point of view, we have asked to our students to share their experiences in order to listen and support each other as we all begin life post pandemic.
Ludovica Calabretta – University of Milan
What were your main activities during lockdown?
Online lessons.
How was your experience during this period of lockdown?
It made me understand that before being a student and a doctor I am a person, that I am a daughter and a sister. These are the dearest things to me. I also understood that man is not invincible and not the center of the universe, but that by observing and studying with humility and wonder and perseverance what happens on earth, from how bats live to how climate changes, we gain better insight on how to briefly live in such a wonderful and unique place, without leaving a dangerous mark
Living through the pandemic and having attended lab/courses as part of Virgilio, would you like to share your FUTURE field of interest?
I would like to go and work for the WHO, in particular to offer help to those people often overlooked and whose lives are mostly considered less important than ours. They are the backbone upon which we thrive, and they should be given the same services and respect and healthcare. I decided that I would like to be an infectious disease specialist.
What do you feel to suggest to next Virgilio Program's cohort of students?
Be humble and always open to being surprised by science, medicine and the Earth.
Stefano Rigo – Humanitas University
What were your main activities during lockdown?
Online lessons.
How was your experience during this period of lockdown?
University was closed, the hospital had some of its wards converted to host Sars-Cov2 positive patients; therefore, many activities, such as outpatient clinics, which were the main focus for the research activities of my group were strongly limited. I have been involved in smart working along with the other researcher, which has been very useful because it allowed us to remain connected and prioritize our activities.
Living through the pandemic and having attended lab/courses as part of Virgilio, would you like to share your FUTURE field of interest?
Autonomic dysfunctions, which are relatively rare diseases affecting the ANS, are greatly influenced by viral pathogens and many of these diseases are supposed to have a viral trigger. We will see what comes up from Sars-Cov2. And I would like to focus my attention in future on this.
What do you feel to suggest to next Virgilio Program's cohort of students?
Start with an open mind. You may find yourself enjoying the fields of knowledge you would have never thought you would like.
