Friday, Sept. 10 was the first day of in-person classes for many EMU students. 

For first-year Anna Filipkowski, the schedule change from online to in-person meant constant readjusting. Filipkowski, a business administration and marketing double major, was “just getting a hang of online classes” when EMU made the transition to having some in-person classes. “It kind of [threw] me off,” she explained. 

Filipkowski had looked forward to new possibilities for friendships. She said she “like[d] how you can now see other people’s social cues.” Although she liked not having to wear a mask during online classes, Filipkowski was eager to “meet new people and get back into the school and learning environment.” 

She was not the only one. Sophomore business and psychology double major Samantha Livermore explained, “I am really excited to be back in in-person classes, but I also worry about the impact that it might have regarding the potential of COVID-19 outbreaks.” Online classes were difficult for her because “it [was] extremely hard to stay motivated and focused when learning from a computer.” 

Since switching back to in-person classes, Livermore is “still struggling to manage [her] time with everything that [is] going on and the adjustment of the new rules around campus, online classes, and work study.” Livermore asks students to “follow the rules that are allowing us to be on campus right now.” 

Not all students are living on campus, and not all professors are teaching in person. Isaac Spicher, a first-year  biology major and commuter, with big plans for his college experience. He was “so excited to finally return to in-person classes.” Spicher explained that online classes “aren’t a substitute for the physical teacher/classroom model, especially when it [comes] to hands-on activities like labs.” Social media has helped Spicher stay in touch with friends. 

David Brennan, adjunct faculty member for the Language and Literature department, has opted to stay online the whole semester. He is feeling conflicted about this decision, however. Brennan described online classes as “scratching your back with an invisible stick; if you scratch long enough and with enough enthusiasm, it gets the job done.” He is still managing, if only due to his ability to “raid the fridge between classes.” Brennan has had no trouble with socializing, since he “require[s] relatively little socializing to max out the personal other-people meter.” 

Marti Eads, Professor of English, has decided to stay online as well. Eads was waiting for cases to drop significantly in order to return to in-person classes. Zoom has been “life-giving” for Eads because it allows her to continue “savor[ing] deep connections over literature.” She hopes “to get assignments graded, to read and converse deeply with students, to make wise choices, [and] to be grateful for each daily breath!” 

Barbara Wheatley, Assistant Professor in the Education Department, had mixed emotions regarding going back to in-person classes. She explained that normal no longer exists. However, “a little bit of normal feels good, such as teaching my first in-person class today.” Wheatley also highlighted some of the challenges of going back in person. “It was hard wearing a mask for a two-hour class, it was hard not walking around the room as I taught, and it was hard managing Zoom and in-person students,” she continued. In the end, however, “it worked.” 

Wheatley also had difficulty managing time. “I am somewhat of a perfectionist, so recording course videos often takes a couple of tries, but I’m learning that sometimes, ‘good is good enough.’ But it is hard,” she said. Wheatley misses department lunches, but she is grateful to have two other colleagues in the office with whom she can connect and share. 

For updated COVID cases and additional FAQs, please visit emu.edu/coronavirus/.