By Nicole Blanchard
The week of Feb. 8 buzzed with the idea of campus returning to normalcy following the start of in-person classes and President Darryll J. Pines’ announcement that fall instruction will also likely be in-person. However, after attending in-person instruction for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, students admitted that their experience was only the start of campus life returning to normal.
Many said that, while they appreciated the effort, the classroom was just not the same as it had been. Sophia Paraskewich, a sophomore criminology and psychology double-major, said her first criminology lab class was not what she expected.
“It was really bizarre,” Paraskewich said. “It felt like you were sterile. It literally felt scary.”
Paraskewich said that there were several other changes to the traditional lab instruction she remembers. The lab tables, which were supposed to seat four, now have only two students separated at a diagonal.
Despite the altered classroom setting, Paraskewich said she is still very happy that classes are meeting in-person.
“I think it’s harder when you’re virtual because you don’t get any direction,” she said. “I’m so excited for all the in-person classes next year because I wish they were all like that this semester.”
Shefali Borsadia, a sophomore kinesiology major, had a similar experience. She said that both her chemistry and physics labs this week were not what she anticipated.
“It’s weird because you have to be distanced. We can’t have lab partners or anything so it’s kind of hard because you can’t ask questions to people around you,” she said. “It’s completely silent, which was weird.”
Borsadia also pointed out that many students look forward to the community aspect of in-person classes. She said the class loses some of its appeal when unable to interact with other people.
“Nobody else I know has in-person classes, so I’m not going there with my friends the way it used to be,” she said.
Despite how different in-person classes are, Borsadia said this format of instruction is less challenging than its virtual counterpart.
“Being able to do it [lab work] in-person allows you to ask the TA questions if you don’t know something,” Borsadia said.
Bethany Swain, a UMD videography professor, said there are several challenges with in-person class for educators as well.
Swain said that though it was great to see her students in-person, “It also was challenging following all of the rules– as we’re putting safety first – and trying to figure out the best way to balance education with safety.”
After teaching at the university for nine years, Swain said that adapting her class format to a socially distanced model was a very different experience.
She said that in times like these, it’s important to know that your plans need to be fluid because something that works well one week might not be great for the next. Swain said that issues such as COVID-19 contact tracing have been obstacles that have forced her to change her lesson plan unexpectedly.
“Coming up with a plan B and creativity is a big part of teaching in general,” Swain said. “But COVID has taken it to the extreme.”
Swain said that taking her class outside to do their activities was one tactic she used to ensure safety while teaching. She mentioned that class size and the requirement of technical equipment are both important criteria taken into consideration for in-person lessons, she said.
Swain was happy that, as of now, UMD facilities have been told to expect in-person instruction in the fall.
“I’m hoping that we’ll be at a place where safety allows us to be in-person,” Swain said.
Featured photo: Students attending an in-person class and staying socially distant. Photo courtesy of Tolulope Ajayi.