‘It’s ‘a little frightening’ to be back,’ WCU junior Serenity Cortez says
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CULLOWHEE, NC (WLOS) — More than 9,000 students returned to the Western Carolina University campus for classes Monday. The first day of classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic looked a little different than in years past.
Masks are required to be worn inside, but many students were also wearing them while outdoors.
The university is also providing real time updates on COVID-19 cases on campus via an online report. Ash of Aug. 17, only one case has been reported.
Serenity Cortez, a junior studying to be a physician assistant, has mixed emotions being on campus.
“It’s definitely exciting to be back,” Cortez said. “But at the same time, a little frightening. We’re not allowed to have visitors from other residence halls in our dorm. We’re not allowed to use study rooms, kitchens.”
“It’s definitely different,” said Andrew Edney, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering. “There’s a lot less people on campus than normal.”
Other changes include cones that signal socially distant places to wait at a food truck on the main quad. Many large rooms have been repurposed for socially distant learning.
Director and associate professor for the School of Health Sciences Ericka Zimmerman held a University Experience course required for new students.
“It’s actually quite safe to be in the environment we’re in,” Zimmerman said, referring to the distanced desks, mask requirements and school protocols inside buildings that includes a maximum of three people in an elevator at a time.
“This class has 22 students signed up for it. We’ll be doing some live classes, but some we will also do some on Zoom.”
“I actually like in-person classes,” Hunter Rogers said. “That’s how I learn.”
But Cortez is sensitive to the fact that COVID-19 is a risk in returning to classroom learning with more than 9,000 students living on campus or in nearby residences and attending classes.
“There’s so many of us,” Cortez said. “It’s hard to control who’s doing what.”
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