The pandemic has caused many students’ plans to fall through or be put on hold. Olivia Gianadda (sophomore photography major), and Liam O’Connor (senior chemistry major with one semester left) have been derailed – but are looking forward to being back in the classroom this fall semester.

Covid regulation concern:

Is there anything you’re afraid of, when returning to campus?
“I fear that people will ignore the mask mandate and that professors won’t enforce the mandate.” said Gianadda.

Many businesses have been enforcing the mask mandate. However, many people enter the building with masks and then drop it below their nose or take it off altogether. It is not too far-fetched to imagine some students may wear masks improperly.

School Work changes:

Are you excited to head back to campus in the fall, and what for?
“I’m going to be happy to get more fulfillment out of my classes,” said Gianadda.

Unfortunately, some classes are not very rewarding in an online environment. It’s hard for some students to succeed in online learning and many students have seen a drop in their grades.

How was this last year of online class for you?
“I feel like some students weren’t putting in the effort and even some professors weren’t putting in the work either,” said Gianadda.

Some students have been joining online class meetings and just walking away from the computer. There is really no way to tell until they are called on to respond.

Setbacks For Your Major:

How has this past year affected progress for your major?
“My classes have two people in one class and four people in the other, so every time a person disappears the teachers won’t continue an experiment until they get back, so you end up missing a lot of stuff,” said O’Connor.

Many professors have been struggling to find their stride using these online meetings. Hopefully, they will feel more at home next fall.

Were those small class numbers due to Covid19 or because you are at the end of your major?
“I mean it was dead like this even before the pandemic,” said O’Connor. “Nobody majors in chemistry.”

While some class sizes were hindered by the pandemic others were seemingly unaffected.

Heading Back:
As it is your last semester at Buffalo State, do you feel this transition will affect you?
“No because I had in-person classes for so long,” said O’Connor.

Perhaps seniors and juniors will have an easier time adjusting to the on-campus atmosphere than freshmen and some sophomores. Many students who start college in the fall 2020 semester have only experienced online courses.

We are yet to see the true impact students and faculty will face moving forward into the fall semester, but many people are fed up with the online learning environment. Many seem optimistic about the path forward but almost all think anything would be better than the current situation.