By Sofia Netto || Copy Editor
Module 3 is finally over, F&M! That means less than a week of break before the start of another 6 weeks of learning a semester’s content, and, for some of us, that is the first few days off since January! This module was not an easy one. Zoom fatigue, endless breakout room discussions, and group discussions through Group Me (or even Zoom) are some of the things the pandemic brought as it made us adapt to in-person and online classes. With many assignments, midterms, and finals, I guess it is safe to say that we are all feeling the same thing: exhausted.
For those of us who have been studying since the first week of January, that feeling is even worse. The opportunity to have an extra credit for sure was appreciated. The extra J-term probably helped many students who used that period to finish some of the many requirements in time for graduation or those who just did not want to be at home doing nothing. However, the absence of a bigger break between the end of J-term and Module 3 was an indication that it was not going to be a light one. Emotionally, Module 3 was definitely one of the hardest ones. Students report feeling “burnt out” or that this first period of the spring semester was way worse than Fall. But why are so many students feeling the same way?
One of the answers is that we are all tired of having classes over Zoom. But with the pandemic hitting all countries and offering far greater challenges than ever predicted, there is not much that can be done to alleviate that problem. Another answer is that there was not sufficient time for students to relax before the spring semester started; even those who did not take the J Term were probably still tired after the entirely different and chaotic year that was 2020. Those two factors might explain why Module 3 felt worse than the previous modules. When we were already worn out, Module 3 didn’t stand a chance.
Although Module 3 was so tiring, we got very good news as well. So why not also celebrate? First, the risk level of COVID-19 on campus dropped from “High” to “Moderate,” which reflects on the sense of responsibility our community has demonstrated. It’s evident that Franklin and Marshall students are committed to being safe and “coming back to normal” as soon as possible. Even though it is likely we will still have some restrictions during the next Fall semester, F&M also announced the possibility that classes will return to being on campus with in-person instruction! That decision is certainly possible due to all the effort that both the College and the students have put in since the pandemic struck one year ago. It gives us hope that we will all be together again, when we can also welcome new students—freshmen and sophomores—who will have never been to campus before.
This is all to say that while we know Module 3 wasn’t easy, we have many reasons to be hopeful. Maybe not for Module 4, but instead for the upcoming Fall. After all, we expect to be done with the module system, transitioning back to a semester schedule, which might make things easier. So hang on, F&M! We are almost done with the academic year, and better times are surely coming.
Freshman Sofia Netto is a Copy Editor. Her email is ssilvade@fandm.edu.