Hello everyone! I hope everyone is as to go to school as I am. I have been so excited to start gathering my textbooks, supplies and much more to get the semester started. Although, school is not going to look and or function as it used to, I am still excited to be back on campus. Back in March, when everyone had to transition to online learning, I did struggle somewhat with the adjustment, but things have changed!

This semester we will be having enrichment meetings, which are face-to-face activities we will attend on campus. Each course you are taking may offer the enrichment activities, but they will only be once a week and for one hour. Along with the enrichment activities, we will also have online Zoom meetings. I for one, am most excited to finally get back into having discussions on works of art in class. One aspect I definitely missed about face-to-face meetings was the discussions and debates. I was not the same learning about works by yourself, rather than being in a lecture hall. Regardless, I am beyond grateful to be back on campus with my peers and professors.

With the many changes and the semester starting tomorrow, I have to admit that my professors have been diligent with updates. They have all reassured us that this semester will be an easy transition and if we need to adapt to the new circumstances we will. They are all more than willing to accommodate and make this semester stress free for everyone. I am grateful for the professors that I have. I am thankful that they continue to work through the many hurdles that this pandemic has thrown their way, and yet the continue to provide us with a great education.

The “new normal” is ever changing and is continuing to adapt every day. As students we can only continue with our studies and strive for the best. I am excited to be able to study in the Learning Commons again, maybe even just sit there and read for awhile. It is the simple pleasures, that were once taken for granted that are now hard to come by, that we all long so much.