The Dreaded Zoom Meeting

We’ve all been there -- You’re 30 minutes into a Zoom meeting and more than half the class has their cameras off. Then you have somebody that forgot to mute their microphone – so there’s this odd buzzing noise cutting through your professor’s voice as he tries to pose a question. The deafening silence pierces your ears as both you and your professor stare into the rectangle-shaped void. Nobody answers.

Let’s be honest, the situation we find ourselves in now isn’t exactly comfortable but it’s the safest and best we can do right now. I must say, it might be a little bit better if everyone in the class would turn their cameras on.

I can’t imagine how frustrating it is for professors to put so much time and effort into their lessons only for it to be received by a series of silent black boxes. The lack of participation would be enough on its own -- but it’s the lack of connection that really irks me.

I get it. It is pretty weird being forced to look at your own reflection the entire time, fretting over your appearance and the fact that everyone can see your every move. Some students might not have access to a good webcam or the one they have may not work -- that, I can understand.

But if you have a fully functioning camera -- please -- just turn it on. I’ve noticed in classes where the majority of people have their cameras on it does make things much less awkward, especially for the professor.

Not only is turning your camera on beneficial to the professor but also to us. It leads to more feelings of connectedness as a group and helps to generate more group discussion. This, in turn, leads to a better understanding of the material.

And, you don’t even have to look at yourself the whole time. Zoom actually has a function that enables you to hide your video from yourself -- allowing it to still be displayed to the class. Simply right-click the video and choose “Hide Yourself” from the menu that appears.

If you’re in an environment where friends or family members may interrupt the meeting or distract you, find somewhere else you can go ahead of time; such as, a study room, your car or some other quiet place you know.

The bottom line is this -- I think the simple act of turning on your camera is a small step towards developing a sense of connection with your peers during a time when virtual interaction is our new normal. 

By Danny Holland - Danny is a senior public relations and advertising major and the Communications Intern for the Division of Student Affairs at The University of Southern Mississippi.