Penn State started having in person classes this week, and I can say that I am 100% comfortable with going to them. The reason for this is because I think Penn State is taking the right precautions for students and staff.
The whole campaign of "mask up or pack up" is effective, at least for me, because I don't want to be sent home, and I'm sure many other students on campus feel the same. I work at the Commons Desk and I actively see how Penn State is handling quarantining students, and I believe they are doing a good job. By staying on top of things and making sure their contact tracing is correct, students who need to quarantine are put into Eastview Terrace halls right away. I also appreciate how Penn State strives to achieve social distancing in their sitting areas like dining halls and classrooms. The system of having all students having to take Covid-19 tests and presenting a negative result also makes me feel better about being back on campus.
When I first learned that Penn State was going to start having in person classes again, I was kind of bummed. For Zoom classes, the pros outweighed the cons for me. I liked just rolling out of bed and turning on my laptop. I didn't have to get out of my pajamas for class or walk in the freezing weather. But when I had my first in person class this semester, I realized I missed it more than I thought. I was more engaged and actively listening when I had class in person and it made me wish that all of my classes were in person. Taking Zoom classes in the beginning was fun and it gave me a lot more time on my hands since I didn't have to put as much effort in to get ready or walk, but it's getting old and I miss the atmosphere of classrooms. I miss walking on campus and seeing everything open and bustling with students and staff.
I believe my University is doing a good job at handling the conflicts that come with this pandemic. Things are (very) slowly going back to normal, but we still need to be precautious. Another thing I keep in mind is you get out of classes what you put in. I try to make the most of my class and experiences here at Penn State.
