by Jordyn Taylor

Walking to class, eating in the dining hall, studying in the library and going to football games are just a few of the things students are missing out on this semester.   Due to the coronavirus, which has killed over a million people worldwide, students are having a unique school experience this fall. Let’s break it down.

Classes

Only 15% of the classes offered this semester are in person, meaning that most students’ classes are online. And it’s driving students crazy. Some of these online classes are taught in the originally scheduled class period through Zoom, a video conferencing software. Other online classes are asynchronous, where professors do not directly communicate with students and instead post videos of lectures and homework assignments on ELMS. “I think it is very difficult to do school through a screen. Staring at my computer all day and not leaving my room gives me headaches. I miss walking to class and having my different classes in different buildings,” junior Matt Karger said. 

Dining Halls

Students with dining plans are not getting the UMD dining experience they may have hoped for. Instead of the regular buffet-style dining, students are not allowed to eat in the dining halls and all food is carry-out. While this makes it difficult for students to find places to eat, the university has provided additional seating around campus, and spray painted social distance circles on McKeldin Mall. Students also eat on the McKeldin fountain, and on the benches surrounding it. “I would have never thought that where I eat would be something I’d have to consider. I live in the Cambria [hotel] and have a dining hall plan, so it’s a whole mission just walking to get my food,” sophomore Abby Moran said. 

Libraries and Gyms

Campus libraries and gyms, places that are usually part of students’ daily life at UMD, are only accessible by appointment. This is to avoid crowding. As a result, students have found additional quiet places to study and workout. “I used to workout at Eppley every day last year, so it is unfortunate not being able to do that anymore,” junior Lilly Sibel said. 

With all of this change, students have adapted to this new lifestyle. And it’s stressful. By not being able to do activities they are used to doing, students have had to create a new structure for themselves and find different things to do to make them happy. For example, instead of working out at Eppley, students may do an indoor workout. Instead of going to McKeldin, students may find a nice study space outside. 

Going on walks has become a popular activity, allowing students to have a break from staring at their screens and get some fresh air. Lake Artemesia, located right off of campus, has become a hotspot for walks, working out, and a change in scenery. 

As the first month of the semester comes to a close and October begins, students continue to adjust and adapt to this new normal.