If you had asked me six months ago how I envisioned this school year, I would have looked at you wide-eyed, shaking my head in disbelief, convinced that I wouldn’t ever be able to learn successfully again. COVID-19 was unexpected and put a wrench into every student’s education; this is not new info. However, the reality of getting back into my groove at school was shockingly easy for me. In fact, it was the easiest part of going back to college in person.
The more I reflect, the more I realize how learning and going back to in-person classes is one of the easiest aspects of being back on campus. Learning is a constant process and it is something you can always rely on. Your capacity to learn is up to you: to study, to put the time and effort in, to empower yourself. I have always found comfort in the idea that school is one of those few things you have control over, even when other things in your life are messy. I know this might be an unpopular opinion because there are limitations, rules, and deadlines. But think about it: we choose to be at college to further our education and focus on a subject we love and excel in. COVID-19 took that away from us for a while. I couldn’t go to class, I couldn’t study on campus, and I wasn’t motivated to learn by my environment and peers. Now that we are back on campus, I feel like I have a little bit more of my power back — and that feels good!
Despite feeling so at ease about being back, there are still a few challenges, such as learning how to manage my time, exercising regularly, and socializing. Additionally, my ability to balance classes, my social life, and my extracurriculars is much more difficult than I remembered pre-COVID and is actually what I find much harder to navigate now.
Learning after COVID-19 has been easier than ever because it provides a sense of closure to a pandemic that wreaked havoc. I thought I would have had a hard time transitioning back into in-person exams and class discussions, but thankfully, it has been relatively easy. I think this has to do in part with the fact that my mental health is better with in-person classes, and a happier mind leads to a better learning experience.
This school year has been more engaging and left me with a stronger sense of community. In-person learning makes me feel connected to something bigger again. It reminds me of what I am working towards, and it motivates me to reach my goals. Being surrounded by a bunch of like-minded people who are all trying to better themselves is a powerful feeling. Sitting in a lecture hall with 350 or so classmates, hearing the vigorous typing of hundreds of fingers, and listening to a professor speak about their life’s work: this is a setting that’s familiar to me.
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