Students Participate in Speed Friending Event

The first Speed Friending event that the Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) International Department organised online turned out to be a big success. The event offered participants with an opportunity to meet other RSU students and aims to encourage the integration of international students.

Parallel to the the study process, various events and concerts are also being organised online at the moment, of which the Speed Friending event was one. 30 students took part in a social Zoom call where they could talk about everything from everyday habits, such as drinking coffee or brushing teeth to sharing their dreams, hopes and plans for 2021. Participants held conversations both in pairs and in larger groups. The students could come up with their own questions or use ones prepared by the RSU International Department.

You can get to know other people by looking at their surroundings as well, so participants played a sort of digital scavenger hunt – a description of an object was read out loud (something red, reflective, loud, etc.) after which everyone had to find an object in their home and show it to the group. This revealed that there were many athletes and musicians on the call (perhaps they can start a new rock group?), and other participants found long lost items in the pockets of their winter coats. The game got people up out of their chairs and provided participants with a chance to open up and share with their peers.

Students enjoyed the fun evening and the bit of entertainment it provided before the holiday season kicks off and exams begin. It also showed that Zoom is a wonderful platform not only for studies and conferences, but also for informal events encouraging communication among participants.

Have a fantastic festive season, and see you at the next Speed Friending event!