The reality of university education throughout the past year and a half has been far from what many college students have pictured. The “normalcy” of college disappeared along with the increasing cases of COVID-19 in March 2020, and it hasn’t been back since. Rising juniors and seniors this semester have barely caught a glimpse of what the University of Wisconsin fully holds; most rising sophomores haven’t even seen a lecture hall, and incoming freshmen are just holding their breath in anticipation of what this semester will bring.
COVID-19 silenced many of the luxuries that college students took for granted: seeing individuals face-to-face, sporting events, in-person classes and more. For thousands of individuals, “college” means socially distanced interactions and online Zoom classes. Students have barely begun to understand and experience what life on campus is like - the life that has made countless memories for generations.
This semester will be different.
The campus that we knew once before is slowly starting to come back, one piece at a time. According to UW-Madison’s Office of Registrar in a statement posted on March 24, 2021, the vast majority of classes will be taught in person in fall 2021. There will also be a small number of hybrid and online classes available.
This is a drastic difference to fall 2020. Campus and academic buildings were operating with restricted access, and most of the student population was learning through online synchronous and asynchronous lectures and discussions. The new changes are due to a variety of factors, including the rise of vaccinations on and around the university. The excitement of returning to campus has been on the rise since the start of the summer, and students are anxiously waiting to learn in person once again.
So, what exactly will that look like?
One of the biggest changes with the return to in-person instruction is the return of lecture halls. For decades, the lecture halls of UW-Madison have held thousands of students, professors and guests, each with their own unique and notable characteristics. Room 125 of Agricultural Hall is UW-Madison’s biggest lecture hall, according to Emily Hamer of the Wisconsin State Journal. In a 2018 article, Hamer notes that Room 125 has exactly 588 seats and has three main sections, including the ground floor and balcony.
Although you may be lucky enough to have a lecture or two in Agricultural Hall, most lecture halls operate on a slightly smaller scale. No matter which building you end up in, you’ll never truly forget your first time walking into a lecture hall: opening the doors to the noisy chatter of a hundred or so students, awkwardly trying to find a seat, hurriedly jotting down notes as professors fly through the PowerPoint. It’s a skill that you’ll master along with time.
Along with lecture halls, students will be able to experience the joy of discussion sections once again. Discussion sections take place in small, classroom-sized rooms across campus. Unlike a lecture hall, discussions try to elicit conversation and questions about your specific course. There are usually only about twenty students and a Teacher’s Assistant in a discussion, and you’ll probably meet a few times a week. A little nerve-wracking? Definitely. However, it’s a stronger way to connect with your peers and learn material deeper.
The way students will engage with their coursework will also look a little different this semester. Rather than sticking strictly to online work, students will be able to experience hands-on material and engagement. Fortunately or unfortunately, this also means the return of in-person quizzes and exams. Students will be able to experience extensive studying and preparation for exams like the generations before them did. See you later, Honorlock!
Heading back to school is an exhilarating time, no matter how old you are. Universities across the nation are preparing to bring back thousands of students into the classroom; students alike are eagerly waiting to get back into the swing of things after being stagnant for such a long time. It’s ramping up to be an eventful, exciting semester — something we’ve been yearning for so long.
So, get after it Badgers. Give this year everything you’ve got. Have a great first day of school and a successful year!
For more information about UW-Madison’s Fall 2021 response, please visit https://covidresponse.wisc.edu/what-to-expect-this-fall/
