On March 12, Winona State University released guidance for students returning to campus for the fall 2021 semester.
The university said fall classes will be taught with 70% in-person instruction and a 30% mix of online, hybrid and asynchronous courses and instruction.
The fall semester guidance comes from the new guidelines the Minnesota Health Depart- ment’s recently released.
Jourdan Krupski is a first-year student majoring in legal studies.
“As a freshman, I have not experienced in-person learning at Winona State,” said Krupski. “I’m nervous but very excited, the nerves come from doing something I’ve never done before and the excitement comes from meeting new people and having the real college experience.”
Krupski said he believes college is an experience best lived in person and hopes the university’s fall semester plan is successful.
Hannah Harper is a second-year student majoring in communication studies with a leadership and advocacy emphasis.
“Being back in person is going to be the biggest change when coming back, mainly the whole social aspect of it,” Harper said. “College is meant to be a social environment, where students connect with professors and meet new people, and over the past year we have lost that.”
Harper said she believes the biggest change will occur through peer interactions in class.
“Class will be done differently and that’s what I’m excited about. I feel like its going to be refreshing for not just me but all students, the halls right now are pretty empty and there is really no social aspect to college currently,” Harper said.
Harper said she misses a student presence on campus, which included regular hangouts on the university’s grounds.
“I’m excited to experience that again, it was honestly one of my favorite parts of college, seeing everyone having a good time,” Harper said.
“Winona is such a social school and with this pandemic and talking to upper classmen, it seems like we have been drained of the experience and that’s what I’m most excited about next year,” Krupski said.
Harper and Krupski both said they are looking forward to a normal college experience.
“I’m very excited, I can’t wait to get out of class and run into friends on campus or study outside and just enjoy life like college students should be doing,” Harper said.
Students looking for more information regarding in-person learning this fall can check out the university’s website.