Do the U event | Photo by Jessica Fugett | The Wright State Guardian
As people continue to get vaccinated, Wright State University (WSU) is gradually opening campus back up to in-person classes and activities with fall 2021 expected to be the turning point for this transition.
WSU students reflect on what they miss the most from before the coronavirus and what they look forward to once things return to normal.
What do WSU students miss the most?
Going into fall 2021, WSU senior and Social Work major Ashlyn Tate is eager for when she can say goodbye to her mask and begin spending time with more of her friends.
While Tate is excited to go back to normalcy, she is nervous about her peers not taking the proper steps to ensure a healthy and safe environment once in-person activities resume.
“I don’t mind classes staying online and I hope they stay that way. I know the hygiene of myself and that I am trying to protect others, but you never know about others. I could go to campus and sit next to someone who has been bar crawling all weekend with twenty of their friends, and that is not at all okay,” Tate said.
Tate got vaccinated so that she could visit her grandma again. This concern for her family and friends’ health is connected to her concern about what safety precautions her peers may or may not be taking.
WSU student Moriah Dildine is an English major with a concentration in TESOL and wants classes to start back in person for the fall 2021 semester. She misses the human element that is lost as facial expressions and interactions are limited because of mask-wearing and social distancing requirements.
“I really miss being able to smile at people on the street or in a store and help them have a better day,” Dildine said.
According to Dildine, she misses gathering for events and looks forward to when more people can safely gather without masks.
“I’m looking forward to having large group gatherings at restaurants and burning these damn masks,” Dildine said.
WSU plans for the fall 2021 semester
WSU President Sue Edwards announced plans for students and staff to return to campus this fall as vaccines are being issued and coronavirus cases in the Dayton area continue to decrease. In an official university message, Edwards discussed the plan for how WSU is approaching this transition.
“The university is basing this decision on current public health projections that the majority of the population will be vaccinated, and the case counts will be low,” Edwards said.
It is important to note that this situation is ever-changing and that plans could be adjusted. President Edwards insists that the plan for fall 2021 is currently still on target and expected to become a reality.
“While the ever-changing nature of the COVID situation requires us to be prepared to shift operations in the event of a change in circumstances, I remain very optimistic and enthused to continue planning toward the return of our campus community,” Edwards said.
