The class of 2024 decides where to live next quarter amidst a year of remote learning
The class of 2024 began their freshman year of college in the middle of a pandemic, stuck in a new reality ruled by COVID-19. As health guidelines continue to adapt, this year’s freshman class is making decisions about their present and future. With Fall Quarter coming to a close, the class of 2024 must choose where to reside for Winter Quarter.
Sanya Khan, a first-year economics major, will continue living at home during Winter Quarter. Before the start of the school year, Khan initially hoped to move closer to campus but decided against it due to the many complexities associated with the pandemic.
“I was originally planning to move into the dorms or live at an apartment nearby, but then I realized that moving to Davis as a first-year student during a pandemic may be a difficult transition for me,” Khan said via email.
As Winter Quarter approaches, Khan maintains the outlook that staying at home is the safer option.
“I decided to remain home for winter quarter because of the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases lately,” Khan said via email. “With so much uncertainty and restrictions, I thought it would be best to continue to stay home and wait for things to get better.”
While she will continue the year off campus, Khan has found the transition to college in general to be relatively smooth. Despite the obstacles, Khan shared that she was able to thrive given the support provided to her.
“The transition to college was not too bad given the circumstances of this year,” Khan said via email. “My professors have been helpful in accommodating the different needs, time zones and schedules students may have. What I like about college is how flexible my schedule is, especially with everything being remote.”
Annette Yang, a first-year environmental toxicology major, spent Fall Quarter at home but is planning to move into the dorms for Winter Quarter. Yang was initially unsure about moving to campus this fall, as classes were online and the price of on-campus living was steep.
Despite her reservations, she decided to move into the residential dorms on campus for the rest of the year, hoping to have a more complete college experience. Yang shared it was difficult to find quiet time while living with her family and anticipates that living alone in Davis will increase productivity.
“I think it’d just be better for me personally,” Yang said. “It’s hard to work at home with someone else also here, and it’d be easier to live on my own schedule.”
She also looks forward to the social aspect of living in the dorms, as remote learning has meant meeting new people through the internet. For Yang, this involved meeting people through the app GroupMe and forming study groups with students in her classes. Next quarter, she hopes this process will transition to socially-distant interactions in person.
Looking forward, Yang shared social and personal goals such as meeting new people, living by herself and being more independent.
Ohara Price, a first-year cognitive science major, moved into the dorms at the start of Fall Quarter, and will continue to live there this winter.
“I figured it made the most sense since I was already here fall quarter and I enjoy living in the dorms along with seeing my friends and experiencing the campus,” Price said via email.
She described her positive experience in college thus far, including becoming acquainted with the quarter system and a higher level of academics.
“It was not as difficult as I thought to adjust to the quarter system; it feels longer than I thought it would be and the workload is not too heavy,” Price said via email.
Although the circumstances of the pandemic have altered the reality of her freshman year, Price remains optimistic.
“COVID-19 definitely imposed some barriers, but they were not too difficult to overcome,” Price said via email.
Written by: Nora Farahdel — features@theaggie.org
