The coronavirus has forced an unprecedented move in the way colleges and universities are having to operate during the fall semester. While plans and protocols may look perfect on paper, according to college students at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, college life is an adjustment both academically and socially.
The return to campus was anything but normal as students moved back into their dormitories in a phased approach the week before their Aug. 17 school start date.
Students were faced with a number of restrictions aimed at keeping them, their peers, faculty and staff members safe.
"It feels like a high school," said student Jaylen Harrison of Little Rock. "The yard isn't what it used to be."
Harrison was looking forward to the college experience including the parties and the campus events. The Ice Cream Social, a tradition held every year in the middle of the campus welcoming students back, was now a grab-and-go.
"The hype is missing from the campus and the feeling of like you are in college," said Harrison. "It's a ghost town."
Juniors Jordan Gallon and Terell Hayes are from Chicago. While eager to have returned to campus, they both say campus life is nonexistent, but they understand why.
They also said they had experienced glitches with online learning and needed better internet connectivity to complete their assignments.
Harris said he was frustrated with not having internet service most of the time, adding that if this was to be their future way of learning, more preparation needed to happen.
"They want you to come to class, but then they want you to go online," said Harrison, who felt the system was unorganized. "Zoom calls are not executed completed and I get people getting used to the system and trying to get settled in, but it's like they want too much too soon and it ain't easy."
A hopeful Hayes was actually excited about the technological future of classroom learning at UAPB.
"Transition is hard, but I think it's a good testing for the future," he said. "In a sense, this is like the testing stage, and I think it is cool going into the future technology based."
Gallon said after this semester enough data should be gathered to make improvements for the next semester and future situations. She also said she felt there should be understanding, as this was an unforeseen pandemic that everyone is experiencing together.
"Of course it's a bummer for the freshmen who don't get to experience their first ice-cream social, but it's like things will come with time," she said. "When this gets better, because it will, we are all going to work towards it."
With students preparing for the holiday weekend, Gallon said she will be staying in Arkansas.
Earlier this week, while speaking at a news conference at the state Capitol, Gov. Asa Hutchinson warned college students to take the virus seriously and not to go home and spread the virus in their communities.
With recent outbreaks at college campuses, Hutchinson warned necessary steps would be taken if the virus continued to spread.
According to data released Thursday by the Arkansas Department of Health, there are 276 active cases at state colleges and universities.
UAPB has 39 of the cases.
Harrison said most students are going home for the holiday weekend, including himself, but said that being on campus is much safer in his opinion than being out in the community.
"You can go to Walmart or anywhere, it's more people out there than here," he said. "You are not running into a lot of folks on the yard."
Gallon thinks going home for the weekend is not going to hurt as long as everyone is responsible and follows the health guidelines.
State Secretary of Health Dr. Jose Romero and Hutchinson have both emphasized during their coronavirus briefings this week, targeted toward colleges, the need to follow health guidelines outside the classroom.
"The biggest challenge, again, is what happens off-campus," Hutchinson said.
Romero added that if outbreaks are not contained on college and university campuses, then the virus can spread to the community where it is more difficult to contain.
"We are seeing more cases on campuses across the state," Romero said during Wednesday's update. "I want to remind you that you can control this growing number."
During Friday's briefing, he again directed his message toward college students to please adhere to the guidelines by wearing masks, social distancing, sanitizing hands and avoiding large crowds and parties.
"I realize that part of college life is the socialization that goes on, but in today's environment, it's important that you keep in mind the responsibility that you bear to society," said Romero, who added that hard work has driven numbers down in communities, and he would hate for them to return. "Without your help, we can't bring this pandemic under control."
Harrison said he will do what it takes to get college life back to normal and hopes his peers will, too, especially this weekend.
"A lot of people are going back to their hometowns for Labor Day weekend," he said. "As long as you are responsible and you know how to move around, you can go anywhere anytime. If you have common sense, then you know what to be around."