Due to a lot of variables (mostly due to the coronavirus), college is looking different to a lot of students this upcoming Fall. With myself being included in this categorized group of students being brought upon in the change, I had some unsettling feelings. I was worried all that I had done my first year would be thrown out the window with how far I had come with making friends, joining clubs, making connections with professors, and just being a part of campus life in general. I’ve come to terms with some of my fears that were irrational, but completely relatable amongst my peers, with having some of my peers going through the same situation and being in contact with them has also helped to make me feel more involved.
Another thing was I kept in touch with the clubs I’m involved in and for the most part, they have all been accommodating to the different needs of students whether they’re on campus or zooming in from their bedroom. Even if you’re not on campus physically, you still have a voice and add value to what you’re a part of. Not only are campus clubs being accommodating, but even on-campus jobs. I applied to be a peer mentor for a freshman seminar class and got offered the position months ago as I expected myself to be on campus come September. Fortunately, they were able to still give me the position even though I’ll be home and I’ll still be getting paid. So there are definitely some ways to still work for the school while not being on campus.
To feel a part of campus life while you’re on campus is going to events, activities, or participating in some way. That doesn’t change once you’re online. My school along with other schools have already offered virtual events and activities. So there are still plenty of things to do to be interactive with campus while being in the comfort of your own bed. Another resource is to still communicate with your professors and attend their online office hours to build a better connection and to get that face to face aspect still.
There are various ways to still feel a part of campus life while being an online student. It’s about how much effort you put in and what you want to get out of it. Being connected to peers, professors, and especially social media outlets are really good sources and it also helps you feel not so stressed and alone during this time. Hopefully, come Spring we will all be back on campus, but for now hopefully at least of the tips mentioned are useful to you and your online experience.