Spending some time abroad to study is an incredible opportunity that can also prove to be an amazing experience on many levels. However, ever since COVID struck and made everything different, this educational and human experience may have turned into a rather lonely one for international students who have chosen to stay in Paris. What does the life of an international student during COVID in Paris look like and how to get the better of the situation ? Paris School of Business tells you everything you need to know.
Living in Paris during COVID
During these peculiar times, most people would say they need to get a change of air. Therefore living in a big city such as Paris and having to cope with social distancing and spending a lot of time in a confined space without many activities to keep entertained can obviously be tough on people, especially international students whose integration is necessarily affected by these factors.
Lack of social life, cultural activities and sports : many aspects of both the lockdown and the curfew, as well as the general climate, have had a significant impact on international students who are also unable to visit their family at home.
Our advice
Keep in touch with your loved ones and the friends you have here via text messages, emails or any social network (Facebook Skype, Whatsapp) and don’t hesitate to overindulge in video calls. It’s easy to feel lonely these days, but don’t forget that there are people who will be glad to hear from you. Also, go out! Breathe some fresh air, go around the city and enjoy what it has to offer from the outside. Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world so pacing up and down its streets is like walking in an outdoor museum.
The Rise of Digital Learning
The Rise of Digital Learning
Being a student during the Covid-19 pandemic also means having to learn from a distance. Most schools and universities have had to put a lot of work into converting programmes into digital learning sessions, therefore changing the educational experience studying abroad can be. Teaching is now undertaken remotely and on digital platforms.
Many students have had trouble learning in such conditions. The concern is not about whether online teaching–learning methods can provide quality education, but rather what effects these methods have on students. Concentration can be hard to maintain while having to attend online classes all day long and not being stimulated by exchanges with the rest of the group. The overall experience being most of the time very lonely.
Our advice
Keep in touch as much as possible with your classmates as well as your school. You can always turn to them if you’re having trouble with the e-learning experience. Here at Paris School of Business, we are always happy to hear from you and to try and help you cope during these times.
What to do in Paris during COVID?
Even though the curfew doesn’t allow you to be out after 6pm, there is still time to leave your tiny apartment and go outside to see what the city has to offer during your free time, especially the weekend. Here is a non-exhaustive list of places that remain open:
- Shops (bookstores, hair salons), shopping centers and department stores of less than 20,000m² (Printemps du Louvre, Galeries Lafayette Champs-Elysées, Boutiques du Palais des Congrès, Passage du Havre, Vallée Village, One Nation);
- Parks and gardens;
- Supermarkets, grocery stores and bakeries;
- Places of worship (capacity of 30 people maximum).
If you’re looking for calm and verdurous spaces, you can have a trip to the Parc Monceau (17th arrondissement). If you like small hills and flowery paths, you may want to visit the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (19th arrondissement). And if you’re more into medicinal plants and bees, we suggest you have a look at the Parc Georges Brassens, where you can purchase their homemade honey right at the spot.
Remember to wear a mask, even outside, and to respect the curfew in force from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am.
You’re an international student at Paris School of Business? Don’t hesitate to contact us for any information regarding your online programme or student life.
