Last fall, I moved on campus just to move back home shortly after. Although I’ve moved back for my spring semester, most of my time was spent in my dorm room, not on campus.
With the spring semester coming to a close, I’m focusing my attention on planning my course schedule for the fall.
Being a freshman, I envisioned certain things would happen in my first year in college: rushing from class to class, meeting a bunch of people and going out on the weekends in the city.
This wasn’t the case, but I’m hopeful that at least some of these things will become a reality next year.
When Temple announced that most classes will be in person in the fall, I was ecstatic. I’m excited to rush from building to building, trying to make it in time for my next class. I’m eager to wave at my friends passing by on campus, something I’d dreamt about since last spring.
Mapping out what classes I’ll take, where they’ll be and how long I’ll have to get from one end of campus to the other has been exhilarating because it’s the first time I’ve been able to take these factors into consideration.
My desk is covered in Post-it notes with course numbers and professors so I’m prepared for my 7 a.m. registration time.
I can’t wait to make daily trips to the library or TECH Center for study sessions. Being a food lover, naturally I’m super excited for more food trucks to open back up so I can grab lunch on campus.
It’s been difficult for me to excel in online classes, so I think I will perform a lot better once they’re in person.
Sitting in an in-person lecture and having fewer distractions during class will be easier than having thousands of them in my room.
In-person classes will also push me to get ready in the mornings. With online classes, I could stay in bed all day and take classes right next to my bed, which tempted me to take way too many naps throughout the day.
Not only am I preparing my first in-person academic schedule, I’m also planning my extracurricular activities.
I used this first academic year to get involved in as many clubs as I could. Now, I have to map that schedule out so it doesn’t interfere with my classes because I can’t do both at the same time from my computer.
Although I’m nervous because I’m not sure if I can juggle my extracurricular activities with my classes, I’m excited to finally see some of my peers face to face.
I’ve set my expectations pretty high for next semester, but I’m trying not to get my hopes up to an unrealistic level.
Don’t get me wrong: despite COVID-19, my first year at Temple was filled with great memories. From rediscovering my passion for writing by joining REFINE Magazine and The Temple News to befriending my roommates and peers in my clubs, I had an unforgettable freshman year.
But I want to see what the inside of a campus building or a crowded Polett Walk looks like this fall.
I’m ready to see Beury Beach filled with people — in their circles of course — when the weather gets nice. I’m ready to see people studying in the library or doing homework outside of Founders Garden, and I’m ready to have to push myself past others on my way to class.
As I’m preparing to register for next semester, I feel like a small child buying new supplies for the first day of school, and I can confidently say I haven’t been so enthusiastic about school in a long time.
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