Even after multiple classes, some MCC students have yet to put their feet on campus soil. For some members of the MCC community, there is an unsure but exciting feeling when walking the halls of the college they have been part of for months. Dual enrolled, early college and newly enrolled students of all ages are being welcomed for the first time to face-to-face meetings with individuals they have been connecting with for over a year now. However, is the college how they imagined, and just how well is this transition going for them in these first few weeks of class?

As the pandemic took over campus back in 2020, MCC students were sent home from their classrooms. A  new batch of learners has entered the halls of both the main campus and many of the free-standing outposts. As students begin to test the waters in person for the first time, it is interesting to see just how different things are than they originally expected.

For some, like Rhiannon Ziebki, who joined MCC in 2019 and recently began an in-person CIS, class time at MCC is, “basically as expected,” and “similar to online.” But for others, it is a much more complex experience. For many, the feeling of the unknown has easily turned into stress for the future.

Second-year student Zoe Corley stressed the social aspect of returning to campus. “In-person learning is a lot like an exam. You spend your whole life studying [correct] social behaviors just to test [your findings] in school.” Showing the point that some things in college life are just not to be prepared for. Other students share that it may not be the social atmosphere that strikes an uneasy feeling.

Jacklyn Rodriguez, an early college student, is a first-time in-person learner at MCC. “It felt a bit overwhelming because I had to adjust to a few things,” said Rodriguez. “It is a new format of class to me, and I did not know what to expect.” There are some positive aspects, shared Rodriguez. “…it is easier to talk to my professor face-to-face to ask questions…”

The reflections of the new students on campus are unsure, yet positive. MCC has support in place for all students, which includes a COVID-19 hotline, disability support and tutoring services, and an Emergency Response Team, who meet regularly to discuss and review updates on COVID-19. For campus updates on the virus and more, visit https://www.muskegoncc.edu/coronavirus/.