By Meghan Smith
Student life isn’t what it used to be on the McPherson College campus. Our main rule for COVID-19 compliance is wearing masks at all times around campus. Whether in class, walking to class, working in the library, or attending activities, masks are always required. For me, the big controversy is how they are worn and how it is enforced. In some of my classes, students don’t seem to be taking COVID-19 seriously. They wear their mask under their nose, and I’ve seen a student with no mask for the whole hour of class. Other new procedures include allowing to go orders for meals, using hand sanitizer before and after class, not allowing spectators for games, having visitors check in, and going to the clinic if you have any symptoms. Although my college is trying to be proactive and prevent the spread of COVID-19, I feel as if it will find its way into every college at some point.
There are many challenges that have come with returning to campus in the middle of a pandemic. One of my biggest challenges is adjusting to the confusing hybrid class schedules. Every single one of my classes has a schedule that is different from their usual times and places. This makes it difficult to keep track of whether my classes are online or in-person or if I even have class that day. Something else that is challenging is not getting the full small college experience. Part of the reason I chose McPherson was to go to games, activities, and to attend in-person classes and get to know my professors. Without this, I find it harder to want to learn and be successful, but I still know it is worth it in the long run. I cope with these changes by trying to stay active. I do my homework, go to some activities and wear a mask, go to my many jobs, and hang out with my roommates. This year wasn’t what I imagined my sophomore year of college would look like, but I’m still finding ways to make it worth my time and money.
This is in response to Prompt #1 from Campus ReBoot, an interactive documentary in collaboration with University of Hartford and other colleges and universities in the US, China, and Australia. For more information and to see other responses, please visit the Campus ReBoot website here: https://susancardillo.wixsite.com/campusreboot
