University of Minnesota freshman Annie Ayotte grappled with mixed feelings Tuesday as she and countless other new students pushed carts full of their belongings into dormitories on the Twin Cities campus.
On one hand, Ayotte said she is excited to begin a new life chapter and meet friends after more than a year of social distancing. But she's also nervous the ongoing pandemic could disrupt her first college semester like it did her last year at Wayzata High School, which wound up mostly online.
"My senior year of high school was just so terrible," Ayotte said as she waited for her parents outside Pioneer Hall. "I'm just hoping it's going to be better."
Minnesota's largest college campus was bustling Tuesday as first-year students settled into their new home, mingled with others and said emotional goodbyes to their parents.
They were greeted by dozens of student volunteers who helped them unload furniture, food and other necessities. It was a much livelier scene than last year when fewer students were living on the U's campus and most classes were taught online.
"It's night and day," Grant Anderson, the U's interim associate director of residential life, said while manning an information booth near several dormitories. "The students are really excited to be here. The families are excited to be here. They've missed out on so much the last two years, and this is the thing they have probably circled on their calendar for a year."
About 80% of U classes are slated to be taught in person this fall and campus traditions such as welcome week events and full-capacity football games are returning.
Last fall, about 70% of U classes were online and all courses shifted to distance learning after Thanksgiving break. Students were delayed two weeks from moving into campus dormitories and once they arrived, they had to abide by curfews and restrictions resembling a stay-home order.
