( Photo credit: GMU Korea )
On March 31, 2020, George Mason University Korea (Mason Korea) decided to continue with the online classes for the remaining semester. The Peer Advisors (PA) of Mason Korea are coping with the changed academic schedule and distance learning reality by rebuilding virtual Mason events to support the students.
The Peer Advisors help students to be involved in school events and to get used to campus life by creating a student-friendly environment. For the Spring 2020 semester, the Peer Advisors planned to hold virtual school activities that used to be face-to-face events. According to Paris Irizarry (21’, Global Affairs & Korean Studies), a peer advisor (PA), the PAs have conducted weekly programs such as Mason Monday and Virtual Movie Night. Mason Monday is a weekly event that encourages students to wear the Mason gears to show and spread the Mason spirit. The students can easily participate in this event by wearing Mason gears or anything with Mason colors (green and gold) and posting their selfies on Instagram. The post should include tagging the PA Instagram account and using hashtag #masonmonday. The winner will be chosen on a first come first served basis and get the Mason gear. Students also can join Virtual Movie Nights every week. Given the COVID-19 health crisis, the Peer Advisors have decided to offer a virtual movie platform so that the student body can share their thoughts and feelings online.
Besides the weekly events, a variety of engaging virtual activities are arranged. One of the most interesting events is Mason Hidden Singer inspired by the popular Korean TV shows, “Hidden Singer” and “Mask Singer.” Students can send videos of themselves singing while faces are hidden under unique masks to “mkpa@gmu.edu.” The event will be a tournament style and the winner will be chosen through a voting system. Only eight applicants selected by the PAs will participate in the tournament. Additionally, the PAs are preparing for Tik-Tok challenges. Tik-Tok is a social media platform where people can upload their short videos. On Tik-Tok challenge day, participants should satisfy their friends' requests such as filming freestyle dancing for 30 seconds and uploading the video on Instagram.
More fascinating events such as virtual fashion shows are also upcoming. The PAs are trying their best to carry out memorable online events, despite the cancellation of official off-line events such as RSO Fair and Mason Day. The PAs are hoping that the students can participate and enjoy the delightful activities which are arranged to encourage more involving student life during the Spring 2020 semester. The students can contact the PAs via email “mkpa@gmu.edu” or Instagram (gmuk_pa). If you want direct contact, the office of the Peer Advisors (G408), which is located inside the Student Lounge on the 4th floor, is always opened to Mason patriots.
Written by Jaheon Koo | Staff Writer
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