Dominic Nattle (donattle@ursinus.edu)
It is evident everyone at Ursinus is happy to be back in full swing. Online classes brought their challenges and students are ready to tackle in-person ones this fall.
For me, being back on campus makes me feel like I am officially back to school despite safety guidelines being in place.
As a commuter, I felt last semester was not an authentic semester. All my work was conducted out of my room at home, making it a classroom. As a transfer student at Ursinus, my first semester was this past spring. If Zoom school continued, I’m not sure I could have gone another semester as on-campus resources were limited. I had only one class that was hybrid, which I enjoyed because it gave me the opportunity to explore campus and its beauty. But one day a week did not feel like enough. I didn’t get the full Ursinus experience studying remotely.
Moving forward, I feel content knowing that campus life is returning to normal. With all my classes being in-person, I can now see what a bustling campus looks like. However, it is required that I wear a mask indoors and that I only take it off outside.
As long as we stick to in-person classes and meetings for the remainder of the year, then I can deal with the mask mandate. The outdoor classrooms are a great addition to the campus as long as the weather holds up. Holding classes outdoors eliminates the risk of COVID-19 and allows us to live life as we once did — maskless. Testing is vital but it is not being conducted as frequently. I have my appointment scheduled right after my class, so I can avoid making a separate trip.
As much as many of us would like to turn back time to life without COVID, I think our current setup will do. The beauty of Ursinus, in-person classes, and clubs are all things I truly value. Keep being vigilant, Bears!