As students return to campus over the weekend many feel optimistic for the semester ahead. Despite the continuing challenges that students have cited including academic burnout and the COVID-19 pandemic, many feel excited for the new semester and what it might bring.
Dajia Carr, a fifth-semester political science major, spoke about what she is looking forward to in the coming semester, specifically expanding horizons and learning new things in new classes.
“I’m looking forward to some of the classes that I’m taking this semester. I’m taking an archeology class and I’ve been looking forward to for a while because the content seems pretty interesting,” Carr said.
Sofia Karalekas, a fifth-semester political science and human rights major, said that she is most looking forward to seeing friends again.
“Honestly, I’m looking forward to seeing friends again plus I’m taking a lot of interesting classes this semester so it should be really fun,” Karalekas said.
Sarah Imran, a fifth-semester molecular and cell biology major, shared a similar sentiment citing seeing friends and being in class again as potential highlights.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting new people in my classes and getting to see my friends from last year. I feel like during the summer I really missed that so a return to campus is definitely welcome. I also miss taking classes with other people because I feel like complaining about classes and exams was a great way to bond with people,” Imran said.
Sophia Rogers, a fifth-semester nursing major, said that she is most excited for going to clinicals this semester. Clinicals are a core component of the nursing curriculum in which nursing students go to area hospitals to learn in a practical and hands-on way how to care for patients.
“I’m looking forward to starting clinicals, I get to start learning about my career in a practical way so I’m pretty excited for that,” Rogers said.
One thing that all could agree on is the anticipation of seeing Jonathan the Husky again.
“I also miss petting Johnathan so that’s definitely something I’m going to have to do during the semester,” Carr said.
“I’m also looking forward to seeing Jonathan again, so it’ll be a pretty exciting semester,” Rogers said.
“Also, I miss seeing Jonathan and the other dogs on campus, they got me through the last semester and I’m sure they’ll get me through this one,” Imran said.