I have chosen the clean city as my topic for the project and my assigned place is the dormitory. The first thing come to my mind for this video essay is how the pandemic affects the relationship between the hallmates and how the pandemic affects the cleaning awareness of students who live in the dormitory. Therefore, I want to create a video that contains some drama to imitate daily hall life. It can increase the empathy of the audience.
First of all, I think that the Hong Kong polytechnic university is the most characteristic university in Hong Kong since it is built by the red brick and the dormitory of the polytechnic university is also built by the red brick. Therefore, I have decided to choose the dormitory of polytechnic university as the spectacle of the video.
Before the pandemic, there are many activities in the dormitory. For example, we will revision with the hallmates at hall during the exam period, because everyone will work harder and encourage each other in the exam period. Also, we will always hold a party at hall to release our stress on academic studies. Therefore, the hallmates can build up a strong bonding with each other.
However, when the pandemic starts, everything has changed. The relationship between the hallmates has weakened a lot, because everyone is afraid to play together already due to the coronavirus, we will reduce our contact as much as possible. Therefore, the barrier between the hallmates is getting larger.
What do I want to show in the video?
In the video essay, I want to show that the differences of the hall life after the pandemic. Therefore, I have found two friends to act as my hallmate to reappear the scene before the pandemic and I have filmed some scenes in the canteen of the polytechnic university to show how the pandemic distanced peoples. Also, I want to show what safety precautions the university officials did during the pandemic in the video. Therefore, I have filmed some facilities and the cleaner in the dormitory to show peoples take the pandemic really seriously inside the dormitory. For example, the public area and the canteen are closed due to the coronavirus.
Research
I have asked a friend who lives in the dormitory of polytechnic university, she said that no one can enter the dormitory except the student who lives in there. While before the pandemic, everyone can enter the public area of the dormitory to join activities. So, there is a big difference after the pandemic started.
Reflection
After filming the video essay, I have just recognized the pandemic do affect our daily life critically this year. We need to wear a mask anytime when we are not at home and a lot of activities are restricted by the government. It makes our daily life become inconvenient and totally changed because we cannot often hang out with our friends due to the serious virus. Hence, the pandemic has distanced people. I am afraid that one day I will forget how I communicate with others before the pandemic starts.
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The Hong Kong polytechnic university.https://www.polyu.edu.hk/sao/srss/hall/news-events/295-special-arrangements-due-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/
mok hiu chun 3035812555
I can tell how different hall life is before and after the pandemic , you are not as close as before with your friends physically,and yes,I agree there is an invisible wall built up between friends .I’m not sure if other ways to stay close like texting or video calling each other works and reduce the barrier tho.Also,I am fascinated by how you film PolyU starting from 0:11 ,the use of drone to shot a wide shot and shows the whole view of brick PolyU is incredible.Thank you for making and sharing this great video !
Quite a thoughtful attempt to recreate the PolyU dorm life. So, what have you discovered throughout the process?
Aside from the red bricks, I wonder if there were any significant difference between how the dorms in PolyU and HKU operate before and during the pandemic. From your description in your essay, it seems like there were not so much of a difference in the way the dorms handle the pandemic. Further research on the dorms operational aspect could help you to enrich your argument. Also, if they don’t allow visitors in dorms, where did you film this video (particularly the interior scenes)?