The first time I felt different

The first time I felt different

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Do you know everyone is thinking in a different way? Although we are speaking in the same language, we understand things in a different way.

It is hard to explain so I will provide an example. Ask three random people what a pencil is. The first person may answer “a tool to help us write.” The second person may say “a thing I need to bring to school every day.” The third person may reply “a substance made of graphite and wood”. As you see, three people may have three different answers. I figured out that everyone is different because of a story that happened to me, and I am going to share it.

When I first became a secondary student, I was not good at English and unfortunately all subjects were taught in English. Therefore, I had a habit of previewing before class. I read all the textbooks before the teacher taught me, so that I could write down the Chinese meaning next to the words which I didn’t know. But this habit has drawbacks too and it leads me to some bad consequences.

The bad thing was failing my Mathematics unit test. After my teacher finished teaching each unit, students needed to conduct a unit test to find out if we really understood that unit. I studied that unit for one hour only because I had learned it in primary school.

In the beginning of the test, it was easy. But when it came to applied problems, I didn’t even know what it was talking about. The words on the paper move like snakes so I could not understand it. I tried to cheat by looking at my neighbor but his handwriting was so bad. Finally, I failed the test not because of maths, but because of English. That was a tragic result!

Afterward, I went back home and gave up learning Mathematics. So I opened my computer to find something to help me relax, and I found a funny video. It was about how English is used differently in different places. For example : “colour” in America is “color”. After watching that video, I knew that we need to think in different ways when learning different subjects. Mathematics wasn’t a language so I didn’t need to care about what it means, I only needed to care about the numbers. So I will change the thinking “mode” when I am having Mathematics class.

After I know how to “change mode”, I perform better in English and also Mathematics. Everyone is different. I deal with English by “changing mode”. How do you deal with subjects you aren’t good at?

 

Eye-Opening Career Expo Helper Days

Eye-Opening Career Expo Helper Days

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Have you ever attended the annual Education and Career Expo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center? During my internship in the Correctional Services Department, I was a helper at the Career Expo this year. This is my first time being a helper at the Expo. Being a helper was quite interesting because I could work with people and dogs! Do you know the feeling of being a helper?

 

On 21 July and 22 July, I was a helper in the Correctional Services booth. The booth was divided into three main parts: submitting application forms and inquiries, all about Regional Response Team (RRT), dog units, and the smart prison. I was a helper in the dog unit, and I had to help others take photos with my furry partners (Left: Nick, Right: Gin).

 

Let me introduce Nick and Gin first. Nick was a five years old boy. It was an experienced dog that had participated in the Expo before. It was quiet and obedient. When people stroked it, it stood still. However, Gin, a one-year-old dog, was still being trained. It was like a kid who became energetic when he knew that people were affectionate.

 

 

The most challenging part was that Gin was too enthusiastic. When he saw people walking close to it, he would jump and even try to play with them. When I first stroked it, it jumped and kissed me. When many children came and saw it, it ran around and scared some kids away. Gin was strong and a bit uncontrollable. When it saw other dogs, such as two Labradors from the Custom and Excise Department, it tried to run and meet them! I sometimes was not strong enough to hold Gin. Thanks to the help from other dog unit staff, Gin could quickly calm down and behave appropriately.

 

Although there were obstacles, I learned a lot in the two days. Do you know that Correctional Services Department is hiring two types of staff: assistant officer II and officer. Candidates must pass all the physical fitness tests and Basic Law and National Security Law Test. Some assistant officers will be assigned to be members of the RRT and even promoted to officers. If you are a university graduate, you can apply for officers. Apart from the tests, you still have to pass the written tests and interviews.

 

In addition to the recruitment, I had known more about the duty of an assistant officer. Apart from supervising persons in custody, they still had to cooperate with colleagues to investigate crimes and improper behaviors. When the assistant officers noticed some prisoners were a little bit down or unsatisfied, they had to do counseling.

 

In conclusion, I realized that being a helper at the Expo was easier said than done. I was proud of the assistant officers because they had to deal with many things when working.

 

If you are interested in the Education and Career Expo, feel free to go to Exhibition Center next year!

What I have learned through volunteering

What I have learned through volunteering

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Have you ever participated in any volunteering activities? I have been a volunteer since year one at the university. Although volunteering seems boring in some students’ eyes, it is a pretty meaningful event in reality! Have you ever wondered about the advantages of being a volunteer? I will further talk about them in this article.

 

  1. Getting satisfaction

Volunteering is satisfying. I remember that when I was teaching children to experiment, they smiled when they succeeded. Apart from children, I also visited the elderly home on Zoom and talked to the elderly. I spoke to them in front of the camera and showed them what I had done recently. They grinned when they saw some interesting things in my photos. Do you know that real happiness comes from helping others? All their pleasant faces are ingrained in my mind. When I am sad, I immediately think of their lovely faces and try to move on!

 

  1. Being empathetic

Volunteering allows me to step into others’ shoes and design suitable activities for the needy. When preparing for every volunteering activity, I have to consider more about their needs. For instance, children are interested in funny games, so I need to design some exciting games for them to engage in the activities. If the participants are the elderly, I may offer simple entertainment such as basic calculations and guessing animals because of declining cognitive ability. When speaking to them, I should talk slowly so that they can understand and respond quickly.

 

  1. Developing problem-solving skills

Being a volunteer encounters many problems. First, some children were not concentrated on the activity. When I made handicrafts with kids on Zoom, some went away in front of the camera because they found the exercise boring. Then, I tried to call their names and ask whether they could catch up with the steps. Second, the elderly got irritated when they could not get food immediately. On 13 June, I engaged in a food recycling tour which helped collect raw fruits and vegetables and distribute them to underprivileged people. The elderly arrived earlier and asked for the food. We told them we would distribute the food later, and then they were angry. They thought it was unfair for them because they got to the destination much earlier than others. We had to arrange for them to take the food properly without dispute. In short, not all the activities are plain sailing, so you must be well-prepared every time!

 

To sum up, being a volunteer is beneficial to us because you will be satisfied and empathetic. Your problem-solving skills will be sharpened when you get involved in every activity. If you want to be a volunteer, act now!

 

Ways to be a volunteer:

  • Join the school volunteer team
  • Register at https://yvn.hkfyg.org.hk/ to be a member of the HKFYG
  • Visit other NGOs’ websites and see the details of being a volunteer
A Dog Named Toby

A Dog Named Toby

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Do you like dogs? Keeping a dog is easier said than done. This summer, it is our great pleasure to invite Ms Kate White again to talk about her new dog Toby.

 

  1. What made you decide to go for Toby? What was your thought process when choosing him?

What a great question! I have always gravitated towards bigger dogs such as huskies or German shepherds, golden retrievers. I didn’t have an ‘ideal’ dog type in mind. We knew we wanted something calm, small for our flat, with a good, intelligent temperament. I have had a range of pets throughout my life, from hamsters, cats, turtles, hedgehogs to tropical fish. So, for me, I knew I always wanted a dog someday. To tell you the truth, deciding on Toby was one of the more spontaneous decision I’ve made!

 

  1. What is the breed of Toby?

He is ¾ Yorkshire terrier, and ¼ Shih Tzu! However, if you look at his photos, you’ll realise his fur remains shorter and darker than typical Yorkies, and many people we encounter out on dog walks think he doesn’t resemble one either! See what you think!

  1. Adoption or breeders?

We considered going through the adoption process, to save a dog if we could (I did this for Piggy my hedgehog), however, the process was very long, and didn’t work out for us at that time. Toby is a dog from a breeder, and hence the prices may range £800 + realistically. The positives of buying a puppy is that it will develop it’s behaviour and lifestyle as it goes through life with you, and doesn’t have previous trauma, anxiety issues as many adopted pets have. So, I recommend, if adopted, you can go for a younger dog.

 

  1. What do we have to consider if we want to keep a dog?

Luckily, we work from home, so we can spend plenty of time to keep up his routines. Dogs are needier, and so you shouldn’t leave them home alone all day. I would suggest doing some research regarding the best types of dog food, which crate, lead to get- though aside from the basics, we picked up these skills as we went along. Trial and error! Not to mention, your dog will have its own particular behavioural traits which doesn’t apply to all. For example, teething is very common for dogs, they will have very sharp baby teeth and want to bite or chew anything they come into contact with- licking, or biting is the way they can understand the world, and show their love. So, it’s likely you’ll end up having to throw lots of toys early on! He will put anything from the ground into his mouth, including- if you aren’t careful, bottle lids, and rubbish off the street! Also some plants may be poisonous and upset their stomach, so you have to be conscious of what they eat and play with.

  1. Do you have to spend a lot of time training Toby?

For us, we had no concept of just how challenging and active a puppy can be! I previously had a cat, and as they are quite independent creatures, they require less effort and time for training. A puppy needs lots of attention, and up to 1yr of its life will require daily training with treats. Treats to behave, such as ‘sit’, ‘Toby here’, ‘down’, as well as making sure he doesn’t jump up on the sofa while we eat. He needs to be crate trained, and sleeps in one every night.

The most challenging aspect is toilet training- sadly we have carpets in our flat, and so at the start, he thought the feel of it was a pee pad!! We have a balcony, so we train him to go ‘pee pee and poo poo’ there, but we also need to take him downstairs to the park or for a walk, several times a day minimum. 6 months on, and we are still training. He is a smart dog, but, he is still a dog, and he forgets training very easily, will misbehave, and go crazy when meeting other dogs in public. Luckily, he doesn’t chew up furniture (or my books!), sleeps through the night- even from day 3 of us getting him, so we have been very fortunate.

 

  1. Does he have any quirks or special characteristics?

Yes! He absolutely loves to roll onto his back and expose his tummy for rubs! He also has a special ball which he likes to carry over and play, when I say ‘where’s the ball’? he will go and fetch it. Sometimes I call the tufts of his hair ‘dandelion fluff’, and ‘Chewbacca’ from Star Wars when he gets a crazy look in his eyes! Toby is a very friendly animal- (sometimes TOO friendly!) and expects everyone to love and pet him, and shower affection- a typical post Covid dog.

  1. Do you have anything to say to students who want to keep pets?

I fully support owning pets, as they can give you lots of love, care, and support, as well as cheering you up when you’re feeling down. I suggest to be sure you have a stable environment with a stable routine, and enough time to put in the effort to train them. They need to be washed, cleaned, and we can’t always rely on others to take over this job for us.

It’s like babies too- however you treat them at the start will set them up for the rest of their life, and how they behave & learn/develop good habits. Though it’s easy to compare with others, ‘am I doing a good enough job etc’, your main goal is to provide a harmonious, good life for them. Your aim is to be together for a long time! Good luck on your journey – They are truly a blessing!

 

More about Ms White:

My Life Being a Writer and Teacher: https://english.kslo.hk/my-life-being-a-writer-and-teacher/

All About Labyrinth of Souls: https://english.kslo.hk/all-about-labyrinth-of-souls/

Making STEAM toy kits with Children

Making STEAM toy kits with Children

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Have you ever tried to demonstrate an experiment with children on Zoom? In April, I participated in a community engagement program about doing an experiment with children. I designed two experiments about static electricity and free fall with other volunteers for a month. I have learned a lot in the program.

 

In March, I designed experiments with other volunteers on Zoom. Our leader Chris was friendly. He shared his past experiences about doing experiments with children and even helped us revise the PowerPoint. Our target group was students from K1 to P3, so we had to look for simple experiments for them to conduct on YouTube. Although I shared many videos about doing experiments with little kids, most of them were not suitable at all because I did not consider safety problems. For instance, if I carried out an experiment about a solution and chemical reaction, they might drink the dangerous chemicals. Suddenly, I found a fascinating experiment video about static electricity. When children rubbed a straw, some shredded paper was stuck to the straw. I immediately shared it with my group members because I thought it was safe and easy for kids to conduct. They all agreed with my ideas, and they also added that we could provide them with rulers, which was an alternative to straws. We also designed an experiment about free fall, apart from static electricity. We chose a template of a little parachute. After that, we tried to demonstrate these experiments to other volunteers.

 

Apart from designing the experiments, we also had to prepare questions for children to learn more about the daily application of static electricity and free fall. If I were asked to choose the most challenging part of the activity, I would say “asking children some questions” was the most challenging. We did not know whether children could thoroughly understand the two concepts, so it was difficult for us to think of some questions. When we had done all the preparation, we were confident that the activity would go smoothly. We had planned the rundown of the activity. First, we would introduce ourselves to the children and tell them to follow some rules. Then, children would do experiments by themselves with the help of our demonstrations. After the experiments, we would say to them the concepts (static electricity and free fall) applied in the experiments. In the end, we would ask them questions about the concepts.

 

On 9 April, I demonstrated the experiments on Zoom with my partner Mary. Some children could not catch up with some steps, so I had to re-do those steps patiently and ensure that all eight children could see the results. It was a bit hard for me to see the children’s progress because some did not set up their cameras properly. Some even turned off their cameras due to unstable Internet connections. Fortunately, most of them were accompanied by their family so they could ask for immediate help easily. When it came to the question parts, I found them excited. Some even shouted out the answers when Mary was reading out the questions.

 

I felt a huge sense of accomplishment after this volunteering activity. I realized that carrying out activity was always easier said than done. We had to step into children’s shoes and design the experiments. We needed to act as a teacher to teach them how to carry out the experiments during the activity. I had never been a teacher before, so this volunteering activity was an excellent opportunity for me to gain hands-on teaching experience. The most satisfying thing about teaching was the children’s smiles. When they succeeded in doing the experiments, they could not stop grinning. I believed that the activity did not only help children understand some scientific concepts and helped me understand how to design an activity for children.

A Thoughtful Visit to a Dog Rescue Center

A Thoughtful Visit to a Dog Rescue Center

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Have you ever wondered about a dog rescue center? During this summer, I volunteered to visit Kelly Animal Shelter (KAS), a home for more than two hundred stray dogs. The shelter was initially a greenhouse, but the owner Kelly changed it into a shelter. She loves dogs very much and even wants to save stray dogs. She deems that this shelter can be a temporary home for the dogs before they are adopted. In this article, I will share my experiences of being a volunteer in the shelter.

 

On 17 May, I participated in a briefing session about the shelter before the visit. The volunteer team leaders talked about the shelter and the number of stray animals in Hong Kong. They also mentioned that not many Hong Kong people kept a pet wholeheartedly. Some did not want to have pets anymore when their pets were sick and disobedient. Eventually, they left their pets on the streets. I was a bit shocked by the number of abandoned pets. Hong Kong was supposed to be a more developed city. It was disappointing that some people, especially well-educated, were maltreated or even gave up their pets.

 

When I was going to the shelter, I thought that the shelter was spacious and comfortable because it was considered a temporary home for stray dogs. The shelter was hot and damp. In every zone, there were dogs’ feces and fur. The reason was that Kelly had to work on weekdays, so she did not have enough time to do the cleaning. Although there were other volunteers, they could not take care of the dogs all day long.

 

Then, we went to different zones and cleaned all the dogs’ droppings and refilled fresh water for the dogs to drink. When I gave them bowls of freshwater, they drank quickly. It seemed that the dogs were thirsty. I could hardly imagine that they had to live in such a small place for all eternity. I saw that some dogs wanted to get out of the shelter when they sensed that we had arrived. When we left one zone, some dogs tried to follow us. Although others abandoned them, they still had faith in humans. They even thought that not all people were as bad as their former owners. Instead, some people were willing to adopt and give them permanent homes one day.

 

When we went to the last zone, we were given some dog snacks (steamed chicken breasts). Although some dogs were afraid of humans because of negative impressions about humans, they still enjoyed eating our snacks and playing with us. You might think that the shelter was massive. It was like a miniature greenhouse, so some dogs lived in a small area. Some large dogs could barely walk because of the narrow space.

After the activity, I realized that not many people thought twice before owning a dog. As a result, when the dogs were sick or naughty, they chose to abandon their dogs. Perhaps in our eyes, dogs were not our lifelong companions. On the contrary, we were the most vital family in dogs’ eyes. We should adopt instead of buying pets from pet shops because stray pets need a home. Remember! It would be best if you think twice before owning a pet.

 

 

A short questionnaire: Are you suitable for keeping dogs?

  • Are you willing to take care of dogs when they are sick and old?
  • Are you willing to train them to eat and follow the rules?
  • Are you willing to spend money buying all the necessities for dogs?
  • Does your home large enough to allow dogs to move?
  • Does your family agree that you can keep dogs?

If your answer has at least one “no” in the above questions, you should not keep a dog.

My dear friend

My dear friend

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In 2018, I enrolled into secondary school. I was not good at socialising and not familiar with any of my new classmates. Therefore, I often sat in the corner of the classroom. In fact, I wanted to go out and chat with the others but I was not brave enough to do so.

The situation did not change much until year 2021.  At the school Christmas party, everyone dressed up nice and took a lot of photos with each other. They were chatting and planning their Christmas activities. As always, I was sitting in the corner of the classroom. I was hoping for someone to come over and invite me to join them during Christmas holiday. The little drama was played in my brain again and again and I became sadder and sadder. Suddenly, my tears dropped.

When I was in my deep sorrow, someone patted my shoulder. A girl stood before me. Her name is Vicky.  I was shocked.  She saw me crying, passed me a tissue and invited me to join her.  “Hello JoJo!   Are you free during Christmas?” asked Vicky.  I nodded.  “Let’s go to Tsim Sha Tsui to watch the fireworks show!  Shall we meet at the bus stop at seven o’clock?”  I was very surprised that someone invited ME! It was too good to be true!

On Christmas, I arrived at the bus stop on time. It was seven o’clock but I didn’t see Vicky. I stood there and waited. After a while, Vicky did not show up and some negative thoughts popped up in my mind. Anxiety, depression and panic started to set in. Had I been tricked?  I knew it!  Being invited to spend Christmas with someone was too good to be true! I should not have trusted her.  What a cruel prank to play on me!  She was like all the others. She was no different from all the people who ignored me and I felt she could even be the worst.  I was so disappointed.

Suddenly, a girl ran towards me.  It was Vicky.  “Sorry I am late.  The lifts at my building were out of order! I’m SO SO SORRY!” explained Vicky. “Then, when I was running to the bus stop, my bag was suddenly torn open!  All my things scattered everywhere on the ground!  I had to go back home to replace my bag!  I am very sorry!”  She panted heavily while giving me a hug. 

I was moved. I felt very guilty for thinking the worst about her! In fact, my first thought was very skeptical, but judging by her breathlessness and elaborate explanation it didn’t seem like she had made this story up!  My heart was warm and touched. Never had I ever had someone who cared about me!  

We were really excited when we were waiting for the fireworks to start. With the loud noise of the booming fireworks in the sky, Vicky shouted, “JoJo please be my friend forever and be more optimistic and positive from now on!.’  

I looked at her in surprise.  This was the first time someone wanted to be my friend. No one had ever asked me before. I gave her a big hug.  A warm current flowed into my heart warming up the chill in the winter’s night. 

A friend is like a rainbow. Friends could brighten up your life when you go through a storm.  Vicky is my rainbow.  Friends are really important in our life.  

The first time I felt different

The first time I felt different

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Sometimes, only a simple remark from others is enough to change the way people think about themselves.

This story happened last year, when I was thirteen years old. At that time, I was a self-abased and an introverted person that I could not get on well with my classmates. Compared with me, most of my classmates were doing well in exams. Nevertheless, some of them were competitive in playing different kinds of music instruments. I always thought that I was useless as I was not good at studying and that I wasn’t outstanding in any field. I did nothing well. Therefore, to boost my confidence, I decided to find something that I was interested in and tried to work on it.

I love listening to music. I found forming a band was cool since I was in primary school. For me, bass guitar is the most interesting instrument. Consequently, I planned to learn playing the bass guitar.

At the very beginning, it was so difficult for me to move all the fingers at the same time. Therefore, I couldn’t even complete a simple song after the first lesson. I attributed my incompetence in playing bass guitar to my disadvantage—— my short fingers. But I was accidentally proven to be wrong afterwards. When I surfed on the Internet, I randomly came across to a video clip, which was a nine-year-old boy playing bass guitar. I was shocked that he could play many songs. Meanwhile, I hadn’t even acquired any basic technique. I realized that it is not the matter of the size of my hands. It is about how much effort I put into it.

As the saying goes, “practice makes perfect.” I was then inspired by it and worked even harder and harder on playing the bass guitar. Despite much effort put into it, I could hardly notice any improvement. I was confused and frustrated. I didn’t know where it went wrong. I was afraid that my teacher would criticise me for not having any improvement.

As time went on, it was the second bass guitar lesson. I went into the music institute with fear. I showed what I had practiced to my teacher. I was ready to hear criticism from him.

Unexpectedly, what I heard was the teacher’s appreciation and encouragement. “Wow… I know you have practiced hard as you have done a very good job! I can’t believe that you have only learnt it for two weeks. Although you are just a beginner, you can already play a song! You nail it completely! Don’t be too self-critical, you are the first person who has made such rapid progress that I have ever seen,” he told me with a big smile on his face.

At that moment, I was surprised that there is someone in the world think I am hardworking and capable instead of useless and stupid. I was so happy to receive my teacher’s praise. It was just like I found the light at the end of the tunnel. I finally got something I am good at. I believe that I can do it better than others. Everyone has his or her own strength and weakness because we are all different from the others. Without a doubt, I am different from the others too!

After this event, I have learnt that my strength might not be studying or making friends. But I’m a total music lover and I am willing to practise hard to make my performance awesome!

At the end of the day, I have learnt that we should not be self-abased, and we should be proud of what we have achieved.

Finding myself

Finding myself

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When was the moment you felt yourself different from before? Was it the time that you got rewards from studying hard? Or the time that you did a great job? Well! Mine happened in the year of 2021. Let us begin the story back to August 2021.
In 2021, the Pandemic was not over yet. I thought this virus would leave us soon but it didn’t. Therefore, I rested for another year without doing anything. However, the reality was cruel. My annual exam results in year 2021 were released and guess what? I failed my exam! I was quite surprised with my results because I was performing well in the previous exam.

Soon after the exam, the summer holiday started and I didn’t change much. I spent my holiday chatting on the phone and lying on my bed. Until one day, my sister asked me, ‘Are you satisfied with your life right now? Are you alive or just existing?’
Her words were so inspirational and I was fuelled with motivation. I knew I would be a Form 3 student soon. I would have to decide what to study in the coming three years, which would possibly determine my future! “What am I doing here?” I thought. I wasn’t supposed to stay in the bed every single day! When thinking about my life, my future and my study, I started to get anxious and depressed.
I had spent two years in my secondary school already, and my studenthood was a disaster. I had no directions for my study and I had no way to solve my problem. I lost myself. I totally lost myself without realising the importance of study and the planning for future. I didn’t understand what was happening. The world was changing so fast. Everyone was doing their best and they were fighting for what they wanted. At that moment, I felt like I was disqualified from this world.

It was the time to change! I should try new things and explore what I desire the most. Who do I want to be? What is my goal?

After thinking about it, I started to step out of my comfort zone and the results turned out to be great. I know that was a great start. I felt happier, brighter and more confident. Although we couldn’t predict what would happen next, I would at least try and figure out the end all by myself. Just give everything a shot! Of course there will be disappointing moments. However, you’ll learn life lessons from failure that you won’t easily understand from a textbook. The key to success is to discover it on your own.

That was the story of me being different for the first time. The moment of epiphany could make us happy. The happiest thing that happened in this terrible year was getting to know more about myself. I finally met my goals and found my happiness. I am proud of being a person who fights for my dream. Life is tough but you won’t grow without hardship. You should try to live your lives to the fullest and keep working because rewards are coming to you!

IMAGINE A PLACE: The New Era of Discord

IMAGINE A PLACE: The New Era of Discord

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Nowadays, students tend to be more reliant on online learning. While there are Zoom and Google Classrooms, which have realised the dream of e-learning, there is no reason for us to not find other options. Software and online platforms for educators are popular because of their features and instant accessibility. However, there is one program that never expected to be such a hit but has become popular and favoured by many teenagers these days Discord.

Discord is an app which was originally built for gamers. Unlike the traditional chat apps, Discord acts like a classroom, for different open discussions and topics. It provides lots of servers and channels for us to explore and can be beneficial for students learning.

Firstly, Discord’s accessibility brings better experience for users. It is available on mobile and desktop which makes it easier for students to attend classes anywhere and anytime. Plus, many features you need are included in Discord. For instance, you can share images, videos, files, links, and media no matter what they are. Discord is updating frequently to bring new features. For example, a better chat interface and support for larger groups. It is easy to manage multiple conversations along with numerous customised options.

Secondly, Discord provides voice channels where students can interact with others. They can use freely and it gives the flexibility to complete different tasks. Discord also provides roles that can be assigned for group discussions. Teachers can create roles so that only a specific group of students can be involved in a discussion. Its flexibility gives us an opportunity to join different classes as we want. Unlike Zoom, Discord does not need multiple codes for different class sessions as you can join one server using one invitation link for the whole class session.

Moreover, distraction can be seen during classes. As we know, students may be playing online games during class and it is hard enough to keep tracking to see if they are listening or not. Discord lets you know when someone is doing something outside the class through their status messages. It is easy to see if students are paying attention or not. It also gives you the ability to give feedback and interact with students.

Some critics argue that Discord is not that useful as it is mostly for socialising, but it can help a lot of students to improve their social skills by being nice to people while they are moderating their servers.

For some students, e-learning has been a tough transition during the pandemic. The lack of connection between students and teachers is becoming more prevalent. Virtual classes helped but unpleasant experiences of online learning such as delayed responses, sluggish internet speed, and other uncontrollable factors have made us feel frustrated. Yet, online learning is undeterred. Discord aims to help build a community where everyone can learn and work together and be collaborative as much as possible.

Imagine a place that is fun and interactive for both students and teachers, and Discord became a platform where everyone can be involved in the process of learning. Of course it is possible to say that Discord is not perfect, but it has brought us the infinite possibilities of online learning. And that is why the new era of Discord has started.