Yep, college will be a bit different this year!

[JimMIA]

My sons first day of his last year of junior college , and today it was a hybrid class meaning a little of both online and zoom. Today his school sent a notice that everyone has to be vaccinated in the next 60 days or they can not attend in person... he is so excited because he has health issues.

But he can still attend and finish virtually, right?

It's hard to be away from him, we live over 1000 miles away.

We feel ya! We're in withdrawal just 250 miles away!

But we're excited to see her having FUN for once!

 

[Kae]

DS's university is vaccine mandatory. Hopefully that helps them strike a good balance between safe and not being locked in their dorm.

My kids University is not mandatory but 90% of staff is, 87% living on campus is and 79% living of campus is. Masks indoors. The Students love their president and pretty much have followed his guidelines completely.

 

[John VN]

Yikes! I hope he's vaccinated and will have just mild symptoms. He'll have to quarantine for a short period, but hopefully that's his biggest issue.

Good luck to him!

NOPE and only time will tell.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

But he can still attend and finish virtually, right?We feel ya! We're in withdrawal just 250 miles away!

But we're excited to see her having FUN for once!

Yes he can!! I would love for him to transfer to Florida next year

 

[JimMIA]

Yes he can!! I would love for him to transfer to Florida next year

Lots of good choices here, as you know!

 

[JimMIA]

NOPE and only time will tell.

Well, I hope he does well. Most young people that age have had pretty mild symptoms. Good luck!

 

[Southernmiss]

Dd had first day of sophomore year today in person. No report, yet. I asked at 8:50 am for a 1st day of school pic. But dd said 'I'm already hot and sweaty. Lol. Heat index of 100 does not make for good photos.

All but one of her classes are in person. Instructors could seek special permission to teach virtually. Masks are required indoors.

Vaccines are strongly urged, but not required.

School has stated activities and football games will be normal. The entire team and coaching staff are fully vaccinated, hopefully, that will limit quarantines and missed games for the team. She bought her student tickets and is looking forward to going to games, but dreading dressing up for them--they do that here.

She's vaccinated and living in an apartment with 2 good friends and 3 of their best guy friends live in the apartment directly below them. All of her group are cautious. Dd has an underlying condition and one of the guy's dad's is a transplant patient, so they understand the need for caution. I am excited for them all to start this year. They've been each taking nights to cook for the group.

Wishing all our kids a great, healthy year!

 

[Kittyblue]

My kids campus is open, but all the professors were given the option of holding class in person or online. Unfortunately all of hers chose online. She's so bummed, but hoping she can still use the library and study rooms instead of being stuck at home all the time.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Both of my step-daughters are attending "in person" classes for college this year. The youngest is a freshman that lives on campus, just started her first day of college yesterday.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yesterday DD had her first full day on campus since March 2020. She was lucky enough to at least get started with the full experience. This is definitely a change of pace.

Mizzou does a cool "Tiger Walk" the night before classes start where the freshmen run through the columns toward campus (they do the reverse when they graduate). It was nice to see pictures online of that happening for this year's class. Last year they did it in groups of 10, which was far less than the full experience. I was so happy to see they are having a "do over" for sophomores this coming weekend.

I hope everyone's students have a year full of in person classes, new friends, and good health.

 

[mom2rtk]

My kids campus is open, but all the professors were given the option of holding class in person or online. Unfortunately all of hers chose online. She's so bummed, but hoping she can still use the library and study rooms instead of being stuck at home all the time.

That would be really disappointing. Mizzou still has some classes online, but those are being approved on a case by case basis by each department. Thankfully all of DD's classes are in person.

 

[Lynne G]

Online and in person, my youngest finishing her Junior year. Had to enter her vaccinated info to be able to go to in person classes. If not vaccinated, routine testing and may be restrictions on campus. With the virus, and the costs, for the first time, she’ll be taking the train from home. Happy about that saving money part. Will be not as odd to have her home, as she was kicked out of her dorm her sophomore year.

 

[katie01]

That’s so great, very happy for your daughter!!

I totally understand, our son was also a 2020 high school grad. He stayed home for his freshman year of college and did all his classes remotely.We moved him into college this weekend and so far he is loving it! Will have his first on campus college class tomorrow. Praying for him and all students, including your daughter, to have a healthy and happy year

 

[billlaurie]

I am excited for my sophomore son to have a real college experience this year! He started classes last week. And I hope that family weekend isn't cancelled because I'm excited about that too!

 

[Music City Mama]

DS is at a large university and everything is in-person, but there is no doubt that the virus will spread (no vaccine mandates, but there is masking indoors). They offered up cash to their student accounts (can be used for offsite dining, etc.) for uploading proof of vaccination, then they offered yet more cash (was added automatically for those who already had submitted proof), and now they're raffling off football tickets, scholarship money, etc. I think they announced that 75-80% of faculty/staff were vaccinated, but I don't know if they've mentioned about the students. It's a large southern school, but about 50% are from out-of-state so I'm sure the student vax rate is higher than the state's not-so-good vax rate. They've had all their usual events and traditions so far and DS is loving college life!

 

[MamaMermaid]

Happy for your kid!

 

[wendypooh22]

I am soo excited for my son to be on campus this year. Thankfully CA has allowed students to attend classes in person this semester ( I hope it stays that way). If the student isn't vaccinated, they are required to get tested periodically thru the week. It was nice to see all of the students moving back and getting settled into their apartments. He attended the welcome back student athlete event over the weekend and it's nice to see him enjoying an almost back to normal college experience. I was scrolling thru Instagram and saw him in one of the pics from the event with the school mascot

 

[Adventureland]

It will be good to get kids in classes again. I graduated this past summer after commuting to my school for half a year and man, everyone's motivations were completely shot unless it was literally the last class needed for the degree. I hope that people find the in-person classes to be more conductive to their success and help for things to more properly stick. I enjoyed not having to commute but did definitely feel cooped inside a lot and had one class with a legitimitely interesting subject become boring because it felt like no one else was putting in the work.
Here's hoping that the schools are able to keep cases low and keep the in-person experience much longer than last year.

 

[lifesavacation]

I am excited for my sophomore son to have a real college experience this year! He started classes last week. And I hope that family weekend isn't cancelled because I'm excited about that too!

I was also looking forward to family weekend, but DD’s team has an away series that weekend so we will be traveling to that instead.

I am loving all these posts about kids getting a somewhat normal college experience

 

[JimMIA]

We won't be going up for Parent's Weekend in October because it's just too much of a zoo.

But we do hope to visit one weekend, maybe for a football game. Hotels are very tight for big weekends, but we've found one now less than an hour from campus that would work. I'll also do some AirBnB research for football games.

DD's BFF attends USF in Tampa, and the "War on I-4" between UCF-USF is at UCF this year. We may try to convince BFF's parents (also close friends of ours) to go up for that game. We'll see how that all shakes out.