BENGALURU: With reports speculating the reopening of colleges in Karnataka, students await the news with bated breath. After spending the better part of their college lives stuck at home, many look forward to returning to campus.
“As much as I loved staying at home and doing nothing I’d still like to see how it would be like to go back to college now,” says Vishakh Salian from The Oxford College of Science. When asked about the disappointment he felt on missing out on the ‘college experience’, he says, “There are a few things I may have missed but I can always get it back.
I’m sure the finalyear students have missed out on a lot.” Although the predominant feeling surrounding the return to campus may be excitement, students also have conflicted emotions. “I’m excited about meeting my friends but I have forgotten how to study because of online classes. I don’t know if I’ll get through my third year with good marks,” says Johann Roy, a second- year BCom student from Christ University.
This seems to be the situation for others too. Another student from Christ University, Kruthi Ravikumar, says, “The transition from offline classes to online didn’t impact me in the beginning. But then, I found myself struggling to pay attention to a screen for long hours, which eventually affected my study habits. It will take getting used to.” Though the need-ofthe- hour, online classes do not compare to the in-class experience, say students.
Alexander Aruldoss, an information science student from Jain University, says, “I didn’t gain any knowledge about the subject and didn’t understand most of the topics that were taught in class.” It’s also impossible to ignore the elephant in the room when it comes to reopening campuses. “It is quite unlikely that safety measures are going to be taken seriously.
I would feel uncomfortable going to campus knowing that there’s a chance that I can fall sick and spread it to others as well,” says Reuben Lobo, from St. Joseph’s College of Commerce. Some students also have to worry about taking offline exams. Ambika Rao from PES University says, “Many of us have been affected by Covid, and are recuperating or are unable to take the vaccine. It is hard to focus on attending classes or exams at such a time.” While concerns are many, the yearning for some semblance of normalcy is universal. “It will be a pleasant experience if we can social distance, wear masks and follow protocol,” says Rao.