Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash
By Gabrielle Chaudry, Contributing Writer
While this fall semester has been different for everyone, it has especially changed commuter students’ routines on Susquehanna’s campus.
Along with adjusting to COVID-19 restrictions and accommodations, commuters have the added stress of juggling hybrid learning while being on campus with limited study spaces.
“Since half my classes are online, and another is a mix of online/in-person, I feel that this semester is a lot more confusing. I had to get back into the swing of things after a three-month break, and now I had to get used to which classes are meeting at what times (because some of my classes don’t meet the normal amount of days we would ordinarily) and which ones are online/in-person,” said an anonymous commuter student.
While there have been changes, most commuter students still feel good about coming to campus.
“I do not think that COVID-19 has made it harder to go to school,” said commuter liaison and junior Kali Rebuck. Rebuck, however, takes necessary precautions in stopping the virus, such as constantly sanitizing her car.
Susquehanna encouraged commuter students not to have overnight visits at others’ houses, similar to the requirements issued to those staying on campus. Like residential students, if commuters leave town and stay somewhere overnight, they must register the travel with the university.
The commuter lounge, a place for commuter students to stay in between classes, now also has restrictions. “There are only three commuters allowed in there at a time. This has created a barrier of communication, making it harder for me to hear some of the problems within the commuter community,” Rebuck said.
However, the commuter student community has not let this restriction stop them from gathering together virtually.
Madison Blackwell, a senior commuter student, said, “The commuter lounge was a hub for all of us, and with it having a capacity of three, our events and meetings are now through Zoom to accommodate the most people. The rest of the executives and I are slowly finding ways to continue bringing the commuters and resident students together. We have Disney trivia in the works as of now and are tentatively looking into Watch Parties on Netflix, Hulu and the like.”
Even with these virtual accommodations, some commuters still feel distant from their community. The anonymous commuter said, “ I never really get to see any of my commuter friends (we used to hang out in a group of 10 or more), and I’m pushed into the library to sit by myself and do work.”
Another problem that has arisen due to the virus is a lack of study room space. Some commuter students have remote classes, and in-person courses split up variously throughout the day, meaning they must find somewhere to go to participate in their online classes if they are on campus. Rebuck said the group was able to reserve a room for commuters, and they are currently monitoring to see if that helps.
Rebuck noted one positive that has come out of these changes: “The positive to having the option to be remote is that if something were to happen to our car or if we did not have a ride, we can ask professors to allow us to be remote for the day,” Rebuck said.
Overall, there does not seem to be an increase in the number of commuter students. According to Rebuck, there is a slight decrease in commuters this semester as some decided to learn remotely from home this semester.
Blackwell is one of those students choosing to study remotely this semester. However, she believes she would not be too worried about the virus if she did come to campus based on Susquehanna’s handling of it.
“I never imagined that the beginning of my senior year would be spent completely online. However, with the email updates all students are sent, if I were on campus, I don’t think I’d be as concerned as I originally thought I’d be. Hearing about all the testing and precautions from friends and seeing those precautions through my Zoom classes is reassuring,” Blackwell said.
Junior commuter student Katlynn Weidensaul shares that same feeling of safety. “I’m feeling really safe about everything so far. I know that staff and students are trying their best to keep everyone safe.”
Much of the news regarding COVID-19 has revolved around outbreaks on college campuses. Some are concerned about students potentially bringing the virus to campus. Rebuck said she has heard one person voice concern over commuters bringing the virus to campus. That person thinks it is a possibility because commuter students typically may have more freedom on the weekends and do not have Residential Assistants (RAs) to report to or to see if they went home.
Rebuck said, “I do not think that I am at a greater risk of bringing the virus to campus when compared to other students. My family does their grocery shopping within Shamokin Dam/Selinsgrove, so we are not exposed to a different area.”
“I think that there is still a possibility that a commuter could bring it to campus, but I do not think that it is as prominent as others believe,” Rebuke continued.
