On Monday, November 2, California University students and faculty received an email detailing the school’s plan to return to campus for the Spring 2021 semester. The email, which was sent on behalf of President Geraldine Jones, discussed many topics relating to the school’s return, including an app that students and faculty would use every day to monitor COVID-19 symptoms and permit them to be on campus, as well as which types of classes and activities would likely be on campus, the omission of a spring break in March, and the school’s ideas and plans about social distancing and disinfecting areas around campus and in buildings to keep students and faculty safe..

“I am both very excited yet wary of the future,” CalU communication studies junior Kole Miller said. “I would very much like to return to campus, but I wonder whether that’s a really good idea or not.”

However, given the choice, Miller said that he would prefer to resume classes on campus rather than continue fully online. “Zoom classes are a waste of time. I find it difficult to allocate time to Zoom for taking classes seriously,” Miller said. It’s harder for me to pay attention in class and the work is just lost on me.”

Miller also said that he also looks forward to the activities that will resume on campus, such as playing ultimate frisbee, and being able to use the resources that the school offers such as the library.

CalU sports management senior Ryan Long also stated that he was both excited and concerned about the school’s plan to return to campus for the spring semester and that he is uncertain if that plan will stick.

“I am excited I will get to see everyone and go back to normal classes,” Long said. “But my concern is that it could go right back to being online if people do not take the precautions seriously and the COVID cases start to rise again.”

Long also stated he would prefer to take hybrid classes as opposed to online classes in the spring despite the risk of COVID because he does not think he gained as much from Zoom classes this semester compared to face-to-face classes.

“What I miss the most about campus is the college atmosphere,” Long said. “Being on campus and seeing all of the students just gives college a better feeling than seeing everyone through a computer screen.”

He also stated that he did not like the idea of removing spring break from the academic calendar because that break “lets students take a step back and take a deep breath.”

Kaulten Kreger, a CalU sophomore, said he was very excited to see students and staff returning to campus in the spring.

He said he would prefer to go back, even just for hybrid classes, because it would give him more things to look forward to rather than “just getting out and right back into bed.”

“If given the choice, I would definitely choose in person classes,” Kreger said. “I think that I learn best in person and being able to connect with others in class is beneficial for everyone at school.”

Kreger also expressed that he has found it very difficult to pay attention and very easy to get distracted in Zoom classes.

“I think I have learned very minimal for the classes I’ve taken,” he said.

Mostly, Kreger how much he was looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.

“I miss being able to have all my friends with me and being able to just do nothing while still doing something,” Kreger said about why he was excited to return to campus.