Student Life: Back to Campus

The first day of classes was especially exciting this year as students returned to campus after a year spent online. As old friends reunited in Newton Hall and others met for the first time, we asked students to tell us what it was like to be back.

Pausing to pose with Mission Impossible Brutus in Newton’s lobby, Alyssa Wenger (left), a traditional master’s degree student, said, “It’s exciting, and a little overwhelming because I don’t really know campus very well. This is my first time having a class here. Just had our first lecture – one down!”

Her friend Amy Dennis, also traditional master’s student said, “It’s nice to be in person. it makes a big difference to be able to talk to classmates in person, and to be able to meet professors in person, too.”

Meaghan Kesling is in her 4th year as a BSN student. Being back on campus, she said, is “much better! It’s a lot harder to learn online. Having people to talk to and bounce ideas off of and go back and forth with helps people learn better, 100 percent.”

This group got a surprise visit from Dean Bern, who was thrilled to learn about how their day was going. These third-year BSN students in the honors program were enjoying being back together after “seeing each other online extensively” last year, and said they felt excited, fortunate, grateful, exuberant, thrilled and blessed to be back. Top row: Sasha Hammer, Dean Bern Melnyk, Makayla Grecenuk; bottom row: Grace Barker, Erica Thein, Lillie Zimmerman and Lauren Oatney.

Three third-year BSN students shared their feelings. From the left:

Anna Old: “Feels good to be back, I’m really excited for my labor and delivery clinical. We have our newborn lab today!”

Michelle Pan: “I’m really excited to have more hands-on experience.”

Megan Henry: “I’m excited to be back, somewhat in person.”

Another group of grad-entry students lunched together in the lobby. When asked their feelings about being back on campus, Ian McKinstry (center) laughed and said, “I work here, so I never left.” Jillian Evans (left) said that although she felt less safe than she did a month ago, “We need nurses. We can’t stop nurses from learning, especially now.”

“It’s necessary for us to be on campus,” Alaysha Horne (right) added, “because we get that hands-on learning.”

“I feel good and ready and like it’s time,” Alexis Cockley (left) said.

Grad entry students Cameron Moree, Shana Wallace, Shelby Gosser, Melanie Travers and Aissata Diallo said they are curious, excited, hopeful, electrified and optimistic!