Last year was a transition for all of us: a transition to wearing masks, a transition to not seeing our friends and loved ones regularly and a transition to online work. The additional pressure of being a college freshman only made the transition that much more difficult for me.
I was lucky enough to be on campus for both semesters last year. I genuinely thought that that experience would make me knowledgeable enough about campus life and to ease my way back into normal classes. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Walking around campus these past few days has only made me feel anxious and lost. I don’t just mean physically lost getting to classes, but lost in regards to campus and academic life since certain COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. I’ve become so accustomed to eating my dinner in my room from a green box that I gasped when I saw the dining hall in full action. I’ve become so used to waking up and logging onto Zoom lectures that I get anxious thinking about an in-person class.
It’s not that I’m not excited to see so many people on campus. It’s just weird for me to see campus in full action. I’m not used to seeing crowds of people not being immediately broken up and forced to social distance. Not only does it give me extreme FOMO about what I’ve missed and what’s to come, but it makes me question what I thought I already knew.
To the sophomores who spent their first year completely online, and even to the sophomores who were here, it’s okay to feel lost right now. We’re not even over the COVID-19 hurdle yet and we’re being thrown into classes, activities and academics. I can’t even imagine if I had never been to campus before and had to figure out this crazy new transition on my own.
As much as this time is especially hard for me, it makes me grateful that I was actually on campus last year. Even though I was stuck in my dorm most of the time, at least I was able to meet the people I now call my best friends and get a feel of what Athens is like.
There are some ways to help ease this weird adjustment period and make Athens your new home. When it comes to doing homework and even online classes, branch out and work in a new environment. Campus is full of coffee shops, outside spaces and other study spots. We spent over a year doing work inside of our bedrooms, so we shouldn’t let ourselves get stuck in that same routine.
Another huge issue, even for students like me who were on campus last year, is finding new friends on campus. I may have my roommates and people I knew previously, but now having in-person classes and being able to interact more with others, I want to meet as many people as possible. If this is also a concern for you, try making at least one friend in each class and talk to as many people as you can in the residence halls. I’ve been able to strike up more conversations about the Bromley hall elevator issues than I have while out with friends. Remember that everyone is in the same boat, and we all just want to feel welcomed during this difficult period.
College is a one-time experience. We may have lost out on some of it because of COVID-19, now’s the time to make the most of what we have left. If you feel lost or even just weird about this new time in your life, remember that everyone else is going through it too and eventually you’ll be begging not to leave Athens.
Hannah Campbell is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Tell Hannah by tweeting her at @hannahcmpbell.
