There were high hopes among students coming back to Bucknell this fall. Vaccinations were required and 97 percent of students came to campus vaccinated. Summer gave students (and staff) a glimpse of a back-to-normal life. Mask mandates were lifted, restaurants were reopened, and family members were finally allowed to reunite. I personally was allowed to see my Grandma for the first time since the Christmas before COVID really became a serious threat to the United States. It was overwhelming and almost made me forget all the sadness and anxiety I had gone through with not seeing her for over a year. It made me excited for fall at Bucknell after experiencing a glimpse of normalcy.
After almost two weeks, I can say this is not the Fall experience my and my peers were expecting. This summer definitely threw individuals into a false sense of security and the reality is COVID is as ever present as it was last year on campus. The Delta variant is no joke, no matter your vaccination status, and it should be treated that way. Students are not reflecting this behavior however, they are tired of restrictions— which is understandable but cannot be an excuse. There are nine active cases on Bucknell as of September 2nd. COVID definitely is still here and it is definitely still spreading. But there are still a lot of things students can do that are different from last year. However, they should continue to treat COVID as seriously as they did last semester but take advantage of freedoms they are given.
Something that never gets old? Quad sits. And students no longer have to wear masks outside. So take a deep breath and appreciate that we are still on campus and have the opportunity to see everyone again. In addition, while we all miss Zoom classes and not having to walk to 8:30 a.m. classes, being in the classroom is a privilege and not many schools have the same policies. However, if you think about it you would have never thought once about walking to class if zoom class never became a concept. Being in the classroom is the best way to learn for most students, and there is a reason Bucknell was so eager to switch back to in-person learning. I, for one, felt my attention span waning throughout the entirety of last year. I am re-learning how to focus in class without having other tabs open and texting my friends during class. Being at Bucknell is always a privilege and while campus may not be what we hoped it would be like, it is important to remain thankful to be here and the opportunities it always gives us.