Coronavirus brings new normal to campus

Yet, most interviewed — in person, by phone or over Zoom — said they’re determined to keep going, despite all the challenges and changes at SU.

“We all want the pandemic just to be over, and get back to life as usual,” said finance and accounting sophomore Randy Pierce. “But, for the current state of the world, I think they’re doing a pretty good job.”

Two-thirds of the students interviewed said they were struggling with staying focused during online instruction.

Public relations and programming sophomore Jialing He said she feels ignored in her online classes. Sometimes, she said, professors and teaching assistants miss the students who raise their hands online. That makes it harder for students to voice their opinions in class, causing them to be less engaged, she said.

Sophomore Dylan Garvin is working toward two majors: information management and technology and political science. He said he’s spending a lot more time with his roommate this semester. He’s also not making friends in classes as easily.

“It’s kind of hard to gain a camaraderie within the class,” he said.

Online and hybrid classes — where half the students meet in person while the others join remotely — pose a unique challenge for students studying subjects that require hands-on learning.

Nihar Varadappagari, who is studying architecture, said that his studio classes have completely changed. Instead of making models in person by hand, they now use a digital software called Rhino to create models that are critiqued and graded by professors.

Even though online learning is safer, it is restrictive, he said.

“Traditionally, I think making the models is a better learning experience,” Varadappagari said.

Plus, some said, it can be hard to go to online class while roommates are also at home.

“There are always people in my room so at times it can be very distracting,” said Felix Baur, an information management and technology sophomore in the School of Information Studies.

Sophomore Cammie Nash, a Syracuse resident who is studying citizenship and civic engagement, says she’s only stepped off campus once in the past month. Nash said she feels she has more work to do because most of her classes don’t have a fixed schedule. She has to take her own time watching recorded videos.

“I constantly should do something, ” she said, “I always feel behind.”

Randy Pierce, a finance and accounting sophomore, said he’s putting more effort into classes that count toward his major. In others, he said, he does what he needs to pass and not much more.

“You can only really go as far as you let yourself,” he said. “It depends how far a student wants to push.”

Classes aren’t the only thing looking different at SU this year.

Public relations sophomore Ava Helmers said she hasn’t gone to a party this semester. She also hasn’t made any new friends.

Instead, she said, her socializing is buying food with friends on Marshall Street and eating in a park behind Bird Library. They stay 6 feet apart, she said.

“It is not as normal as before,” she said. “Sometimes it is hard to hear each other.”

This semester, Syracuse University adopted a new policy that prohibits students from visiting other residence halls. While that may be keeping the virus at bay, 21 students said their “social circle” consists of their roommates and other students who live in their residence hall or neighborhood.

Johnny Gadamowitz, 19, lives in a different residence hall than most of his friends. He said one of the only times he can see them is if they meet up in the dining hall for a meal.

Deena Netz, a forensic science sophomore, said she also feels isolated from the rest of campus.

“My friends and I end up hanging out with the same four people on the floor above us because there really isn’t anything else to do,” she said. “It’s a pretty isolating experience. I hate it.”

Most students said they understand the importance of the restrictions, even though they come at a cost.

Unlike many other colleges and universities nationwide, SU, so far, has had few coronavirus cases on campus, until an outbreak — traced back to an off-campus gathering — occurred earlier this week. As of Thursday, Oct. 8, SU reported 65 active cases amongst the 14,000 undergraduate students.

Anika Carlson, a sophomore studying law and Italian, said she’s in favor of the restrictions, even though it’s impeding her extracurricular life. She said one of her friends was sent home after having too many people in her room.

With two months to go before on-campus classes end, some students say they’re also thinking about what happens with classes, social life and the virus as Syracuse’s fall turns into winter.

“It’ll be even harder to see people in other dorms once it gets colder outside,” said Zoe Miller, a fashion design freshman. “No one wants to hang out outside.”