Transitioning from high school to college can be difficult for any student, but added pressure arises as the coronavirus leaves incoming first-year students worrying about the possibility of having their first semester online.
St. Joe’s will be resuming on-ground classes for the fall 2020 semester on with social distancing practices barring any federal health and safety guidelines that prevent them from doing so, according to a university announcement on April 30.
With the potential threat of the coronavirus disrupting the fall 2020 semester, the incoming Class of 2024 is bracing itself for the possibility of a drastically different college experience.
Stephanie Coleman ’24 said she is trying to remain positive and organized during this time of uncertainty, but she is still apprehensive about starting her college years.
“I thoroughly believe that everything is going to be different, not just for college students, but even for professors,” Coleman said. “Everyone is going to have to adjust to this new situation, which is really tough but necessary.”
Because of the unprecedented circumstances, some students are opting to delay the start of their first year. Gabi Bruno ’24 said she would consider taking a semester off if classes were to start online.
“I think it would be really hard to start college online when you have no idea how to navigate through college-level virtual classes,” Bruno said. “It’s just not the same feeling as getting an education in a classroom setting.”
Some students did not get to visit campus before the mandated quarantine and missed out on the opportunity to get a glimpse of campus life. Liam Ferguson ’24 said he is lucky that he committed before National College Decision Day on May 1 because he was able to go on a tour and see how students interact on campus.
With preexisting expectations about what his first semester would be like, Ferguson said he is worried that if the university decides to go online, the experience will change.
“I made my decision earlier in March, so I knew I was going to St. Joe’s before this really took off,” Ferguson said. “I think that if classes were virtual in the fall, it would definitely hinder my excitement towards the new year.”
Orientation for the Class of 2024 will now be split into two different sections. The first section will be offered in four virtual sessions throughout June. The second session will be held on campus in August during move-in weekend for first-year students, assuming that classes resume on campus in the fall, according to St. Joe’s undergraduate admissions website.
Bruno said having orientation and move-in on the same day could be stressful, but without a traditional orientation, incoming first-year students are finding other ways to establish relationships with their classmates before stepping on campus.
“Having it online is nice if it’s the only option, but it’s going to make me even more anxious because I won’t be able to meet a bunch of new people,” Bruno said. “Now you just have to go on Instagram or Snapchat and try to make friends that way.”
While the fall semester might not be what they expected, Ferguson said the university is doing everything possible to help make the transition for incoming students as seamless as possible.
“It will be disappointing if we have to go online because I am looking forward to going to class and meeting all my professors,” Ferguson said. “But I get it [if] that’s what they have to do.”
