Here is some feedback on the virtual chat with fellow Mac Alumni organised by McMaster Alumni Connect.
The chat on an on-line cloud-based platform was time-limited, giving me significant stress. Also, I was checking the chatmate's background by Googling his name and preparing some opening remarks, but he disconnected the chat while I was typing. He was impatient, I guess.
Anyway, this type of casual chat is not for me. I would rather see a list of participants beforehand so that I can prepare possible topics by looking at his/her discipline. Otherwise, 10-minute 1-on-1 chats would be small-talk (e.g., how is coronavirus affecting you?) that has low intellectual value for me, if any. It is analogous to casual sex versus commitment.
