Due to decreased COVID-19 cases and increased vaccinations, Sam Houston State University will be returning to mostly in-person classes for the fall 2021 semester, taking into consideration any large spikes in cases.
“I feel totally comfortable going back to 100% in person, I definitely think that it’s time,” senior political science major Jose Moreno. “Hybrid learning is disorientating, and I feel more productive in an in-person setting.”
For some students, the online and hybrid learning formats have been difficult to adjust to. With the possibility of returning to in-person learning near, many students are anxiously waiting to return.
“[In-person learning] is better, it keeps students more on track,” senior biomedical science major Vivian Acevedo said. “I feel like online classes had more ‘busy work’ than actual learning.”
Although online and hybrid learning modules were designed to best suit the learning environment of in-person classes, students noticed how certain class schedules and course content did not work well in teaching the subject.
“For some classes hybrids schedules worked, but for others they didn’t,” senior animal science major Sara Kraus said. “I struggled with the transition to online full time in my physics class last spring.”
Hybrid-learning allowed some students to work more hours at work since online and hybrid classes did not require them to be on campus as much.
“Going back to in person might hurt students like me who work,” freshman computer science major William Stewart said. “We might have to cut back our hours at work to make time for classes, but I do think it will be beneficial to students who learn better in a face-to-face environment.”
Additionally, some students are not completely on board with the prospect of returning to an in-person format. While vaccinations have helped decline the number of COVID-19 cases, variants are still occurring and could pose a threat in the future.
“I’m a little nervous going back. COVID-19 will still likely be around in the fall,” sophomore marketing major Kendall Krell said. “A lot more people will be vaccinated but some won’t; so, I guess I would say it’s nerve-wracking overall.”
While many students are happy to return to a face-to-face format, some are worried about COVID-19 possibilities but with increased vaccinations, Sam Houston State University will be successful returning to in-person classes bearing in mind any global changes.