After a year and a half, the almost alien concepts of in-person classes and normal college life are almost at our fingertips. But with the rise of the delta variant, it has become apparent that true ‘normalcy’ will be just out of reach. Most incoming sophomores have yet to take an in-person class, myself included.
There are many pros to in-person classes: human interaction, easier participation, and a much more focused environment. But as our campus begins this transition into some semblance of the ‘true’ college, one cannot help but look at the negative consequence of in-person classes: increased exposure to COVID-19.
While vaccinated students have a low risk of hospitalization from COVID-19, there are people who can’t get vaccinated, including young children. This is where a moral dilemma comes into play: do we continue to operate with minimal restrictions with hopes of piecing together some veneer of campus life?
Freshmen and sophomores will see what they have been missing, and everybody will be able to make up for all the lost memories. College really is the last pitstop of our youth before we are thrown into the lion’s den of the adult world; but what do we risk in ‘Bringing the Bucs Back’?
Unfortunately, people’s lives will undoubtedly be put at risk from the increased exposure of over 15,000 students bustling around a college campus. Are the benefits of on-campus living worth the potential loss of human lives? Is there any other option besides going back to virtual classes?
Another semester behind a screen would steal even more opportunities, friendships and connections from students. Safety must be put first, but the mental health and future of ETSU’s students must be taken into consideration now that vaccines are so rampantly available. We must make the best out of a sometimes bad situation by continuing to push vaccinations and by providing virtual options for at-risk students and their families.
ETSU will be back at its height again one day, but for now, it is imperative that we approach everything with an abundance of caution; rebuilding our strong campus culture brick by brick. As for now, be conscious of how your decisions affect others and start studying; I heard in-person classes were super hard.
