College students celebrate Friendship’s Day after pandemic

Shivani and her friends

The last two years have been unlike any other for students in Goa, as they have got to know their classmates online. Now that colleges are open, this Friendship Day we find out what it is like to meet and hang out with friends they met over Whatsapp groups and video calls.

‘We didn’t know what our friends were like from a phone screen’

With classes held online and on video calls, most students who enrolled since 2021 have never met or interacted with each other. Shivani Kumari, second year BA Portuguese student at Goa University from Bihar, came to Goa in December 2021 and says she met her classmates only virtually. “I knew my classmates, but it was only through the phone. We have spoken on video calls but it’s very different from meeting each other physically. It was only after I came to Goa that I found my best friend. They are from the same batch and are from Delhi and UP,” says Shivani.

Samantha Oliveira, a second year BA student from Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Quepem, says, “After we joined college, it took us some time to relate to the persons we had seen on our telephone screens, but eventually we became friends. Online classes would mostly mean the teachers talking, and even good students would hardly respond. So, it was difficult to get to know others. We would attend field trips and it has helped a lot.”

Ashlon Rodrigues, BA final year student from Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce, too had a bit of a difficulty when it came to adjusting with his new college friends. “We got to know our classmates only in third year. Though most of them were from either the same high school or school. But there were some I didn’t know, but we managed to become friends.”

Visiting Old Goa and lunch plans

Shivani has planned to go out with her friends to Old Goa to visit the churches. “We have taken rented bikes. We will be visiting the churches and going out for lunch on Friendship Day. I’m happy that I’ve found my best friends here,” says Shivani.

Calisto Rodrigues, an agriculture student, says, “My classmates from here are super excited and we are planning to take a trip around the city. We will also be watching some series on OTT.” Ashlon too is planning to go out for lunch with his friends.