From the moment COVID-19 struck, most college students have been asking the same question. When will things return back to normal? If someone told me my freshman year I would be kicked off of campus, I would have laughed at them. A pandemic? No way that could happen! But it did and we needed to be kicked off in order to follow COVID safety guidelines. For the past two and a half semesters, I have been sitting at home and wondering when I can go back to UMass. Here are some of the things that I miss from campus.
The Food
This is the most important aspect of the UMass campus. The dining halls. Out of all the dining halls my favorite one was Berkshire. My favorite dish from Berkshire was their pasta and fries. No other batch of fries has my heart like the ones from Berk.
Walking To Class
Although I do not miss waking up a little early to get to class on time, I do miss the walk to class. Walking from southwest to the library was my favorite part of the day, especially in the early fall when it was nice out. Seeing the leaves change from yellow, orange, red, and eventually on the ground was very therapeutic for me.
The Sunsets
The sunsets that I have seen from UMass in the early fall have been amazing. Purple, yellow, orange, and pink sunsets that I do not get here in the south shore of Massachusetts.
The dorms
Let me first say that I do not miss the communal bathrooms at all. What I did appreciate from living in the dorms was the sense of community and opportunity. I miss being able to hang out with my friends in the common room or shooting pool in the middle of the night on a random weekend.
Dogs
I miss the dogs that would come to campus during midterms and finals. All of them were very cute and it was so fun to pet them in between studying. I sadly have no pets at home, so I do miss the dogs that counselors would bring to campus.
In-person classes
It was definitely easy to take in-person classes for granted while on campus. I realized how essential and important in-person classes are while at home. The sense of connection that you feel to the students you are surrounded by and the professor is extremely important. Students participate more in class and are more focused than during online school. It is incredibly easy to just scroll through Tiktok while your professor is lecturing. Could you do that during an in-person class? Yes, but at least during an in-person lecture, your professor could catch you doing it.
When I go back to UMass, I will make the most of everything. Appreciating the small and little things from the walks to my classes and the fries from Berk. I will look at the sunsets a little longer and appreciate Target runs with friends. I miss you UMass! See you soon!