Back on Campus in a Pandemic: Who We Are Now

“I have a lot more anger and a lot more hopelessness.”

“We can’t go back to how things were before because it didn’t work before.”

“I think it shaped my brain differently. I was in survival mode.”

“Even if I’m sluggish in the morning I’m like, ‘Hey, at least I get to go to school.'”

“UWM hasn’t improved when it comes to more opportunities and advancements for POC.”

“I’m finally meeting more people and making real connections with them, too.”

“I was scared to come here, but now this place is just pathetic to me.”

“I was stressed because my dad has cancer and he’s older and at a higher risk.”

“It’s like I’ve forgotten how things work or how to act.”

“Sometimes it does kind of feel like UWM isn’t always built for being a parent and a student.”

“Please, just go to your doctor. Stop coming to me for medical advice.”

“The enforcement is where they really fall short.”

“Before covid started, I had an entirely different vision of what my future was going to be.”

“There’s so many people that are losing their lives. It just pushes me to want to be in that field.”

“Even in separate rooms, it feels like we are always together and it’s hard.”

“Even in my history class we’ve had a couple of people get covid so now there’s this fear.”

“I’m very proud of how well I responded to pretty much my entire world shifting.”

“I think they should actually be enforcing the mask mandate everywhere.”

“I just didn’t care enough about me to try and figure it out.”

“Humans make connections with the face. With masks, you don’t know what they’re doing.”

“I really do feel like I’m in college now and getting that experience.”

“I don’t think I would be in the place that I am without my friends and family.”

“I feel a lot more motivated when I’m in the classroom.”

“People had to figure out how to do things again, especially being mentally prepared for sports.”

“The worry of, ‘Is someone going to test positive right before a game?'”