BY CARMEN FANNING<\/p>\n\n\n\n
*image was taken pre-COVID-19*<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Coming back to campus after a long break always requires a lot of\tadjusting. Students often feel a mix of enthusiasm and dread. Excited to be back on campus with fellow students and faculty, but hesitant to jump back into school mode. Cat Hernandez is in her third semester in the nursing program and is feeling stressed for the upcoming semester. \u201cI\u2019ve been doing a lot of meditation and taking advantage of the little free time I do have. The program is very challenging but it\u2019s helped me become responsible, prioritize and I am excited for the end goal,\u201d Hernandez said. Ellea Ediger is a senior in her final semester studying Finance with an emphasis in financial planning. She said she is feeling refreshed and ready for life post-college. Compared to last semester, teachers and students are getting used to the demands and routine of online classes. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot better so far this semester because everyone is much more accustomed to ZOOM classes now,\u201d Ediger said. \u201cAnd I have two classes in person which is very refreshing to have after being all online.\u201d Finance graduate senior and forward for the men\u2019s basketball team, Jared Vitztum, is feeling ready for the semester and season. Besides being a crucial player for the Tigers, Vitztum is also pursuing his MBA in Finance. \u201cIt was definitely refreshing to return to school. It was great to see everybody on the team and play basketball again,\u201d Vitztum said. Balancing both academics and basketball can be challenging, but Vitztum is a veteran when it comes to staying focused on the court and in class. \u201cAll my classes are online so it\u2019s nice to be able to work on classes throughout the day,\u201d he said. \u201cBasketball wise, I just make sure to work out a couple of hours a day and play hard during the games.\u201d Compared to past seasons, the Tigers have spent the majority of their season on the road. \u201cIt is nice to have online classes just for the fact that I never miss anything because I always have the option to listen through ZOOM. It has been difficult to find time to do homework and study because we have been on the road a lot and don\u2019t have as many home games as last year.\u201d Prior to each game and practice, athletes must undergo a COVID screening set of questions and temperature or take a COVID test. \u201cThe testing hasn\u2019t been bad because we do it before practice so we are already at the facility.\u201d Quinten Rock is in his second semester of freshman year studying Criminal Justice. Although he hasn\u2019t gotten the normal first-year college experience, he\u2019s quickly learning the demands that college upholds. On top of being a student, Rock is also playing major minutes for the men\u2019s basketball team. His break was cut short due to basketball season. \u201cI mean, I wouldn\u2019t even technically count as coming back to campus considering I\u2019ve been here even over break. But I mean, I\u2019m excited for classes to begin and hopefully I do good this semester,\u201d Rock said. \u201c[I\u2019m] more excited than stressed. And adjusting has been interesting especially with everything being online and everything so, overall it\u2019s been good just taking day by day.\u201d Being a freshman athlete comes with its ups and downs, and COVID doesn\u2019t make the adjustment any easier. Rock\u2019s attitude through it all has kept his hopes high. \u201cI think I adapted quicker than I thought I would to everything going on. Like for example, every morning when I wake up I have to go on my phone and give myself a COVID screening asking all questions concerning COVID and they have to be a no, or else I get a red circle and have to get tested again,\u201d Rock said. \u201cIf a green circle pops up then we are good to go. We get our temp checked by a trainer when we first come in, and one COVID test every week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n FHSU faculty is working with students to ensure the highest education while teaching online, something Rock sees a benefit in, especially for student athletes. \u201cThe school part has been easy with everything being online. Makes traveling and school easy this year so that\u2019s good for us athlete,\u201d Rock said..\u201dAnd having a shorter Christmas break sucks but we are doing what we love so can\u2019t really complain.\u201d Just like students, FHSU faculty have similar feelings regarding the upcoming semester. \u201cThe faculty really missed in-person classes and labs. We all turned into \u2018ZOOM zombies\u2019. However we did the best we could under the circumstances and managed to make the most of it,\u201d Chemistry instructor and lab manager Steven Reed said. Reed has the luxury of having a hybrid course where students meet half in person and half online. \u201cActually having an in-person lab this semester and seeing the students really makes you appreciate the importance of one-on-one learning for everyone,\u201d Reed said. Professor of Biological Sciences, Eric Gillock, misses the interaction with students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I’m glad to be back this semester and am still adjusting to our post-COVID reality. ZOOM meetings are OK, but I greatly miss the discussions and interactions that naturally flow in classrooms full of in-person students,\u201d Gillock said. Overall, these confusing times have brought campus closer together as a Tiger family and reminded everyone not to take the small things for granted – yes, even sitting in a lecture hall. BY CARMEN FANNING *image was taken pre-COVID-19* Coming back to campus after a long break always requires a lot of adjusting. 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