Spring Semester has started and Sonoma State University’s students, faculty, and staff are all anticipating in-person classes and programs. In an update from Sonoma State’s President, Judy Sakaki, posted on Jan. 27, 2022, the campus community was given a look at what to expect for the first few weeks of the semester. 

Due to the COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron’ causing cases to rise, classes are temporarily moving online through Feb. 11. Online classes might be more normal now but more than 140 classes were approved for in-person attendance this semester. 

Sakaki also announced that 2000 students are returning to the resident halls this semester, as well as admitting 9908 students for the new year. That is 4000 more students than there had been on this date last year. 

On Feb. 2, Sakaki sent out a second update confirming in-person classes will start up again on Feb. 12. Many students remain suspicious of any plans the university has made for the future but still remain hopeful.

Tyler Lederle, a first-year business major at Sonoma State said, he “is glad to be online for the first few weeks. It’s giving us students time to ease back into school and get back into an actual class setting, which I’m hopeful for. Overall I am excited to be back and can’t wait to see what this semester has in store for me.” Lederle has only been online for college and is looking forward to a more “normal” college experience. 

Elijah Harris, a fourth-year history major, is not only a student but an residential advisor on campus. This spring semester of 2022 is Harris’ second semester as an RA. He is awaiting the arrival of many more students by Feb.12. 

Although Harris says the three weeks of online classes are “necessary and a good call,” he is excited to finally be back in person. Going fully online for the past two years has made it harder for him to engage in school activities as well as school in general. He has felt a set back and is looking forward to seeing his hard work result in a degree in May. 

“I’m just trying to get my degree and if being in person is what we’ve got to do, then those are the cards I was dealt with,” says Harris. Harris’ resilience, like many other students’, shows as he finds motivation to graduate in the next few months regardless of not knowing what could happen at any moment. 

The university will still be monitoring wellness screenings and cases. Sakaki writes in her latest update, “Our Office of Emergency Services will continue to monitor COVID-19 trends to ensure safety protocols continue to protect the health of our campus community.” 

Cases may still be rising and the future is largely unknown, but faculty, staff and students are doing what they can to keep themselves and each other safe. In order to ensure safety and make sure transitioning to in-person goes well, Sonoma State is requiring all staff, students, and faculty who are going to be accessing programs and classes to receive their booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine by Feb. 28, 2022. 

There are many emotions and thoughts about finally getting to be in a classroom setting again. Skeptical of steady plans in the future, the SSU community is still finding motivation to move forward. Dante Leonardo, a Psychology major, leaves us with an analogy that brings light to these serious circumstances without diminishing the serious impact it has on everyone. “Funny enough, going back in person is almost like playing ping pong, staying consistent is the key to success.”