As schools gear back up, some college students are faced with a tough question during the COVID-era: do they go back, or not?
College Students In a Dilemma
It’s a predicament Chandia Bansal, a sophomore at the University of Texas, and Lily McCormick, an incoming freshman accepted to at the Miami University of Ohio are both in.
Reasons For Going Back
Even though Bansal’s classes are all online this semester, the ability to get help in-person and a lease on an apartment since last year, were the main reasons she decided to go back.
“The problem that we’re realizing now with these off campus places is I couldn’t get out of my lease. So it was either find someone to take over my lease or be at home and still paying for my apartment,” said Bansal.
Because off campus options are so sought after at UT Bansal signed her lease pre-COVID.
Bansal, who’s majoring in business and finance, and is on the pre-medicine track, said she’s limiting her interactions, and only goes to places with outdoor options. Bansal says if UT sends students back because of a COVID-19 surge, she’ll be able to stay because she’s off campus.
Reasons For Not Going
For McCormick, her decision was made only a few weeks ago. The fear of contracting the virus and spreading it to her family was a big reason she decided to delay her start to college.
She also said she doesn’t do well with e-learning and couldn’t justify spending $50,000 on tuition if the experience wasn’t going to be the one she imagined it would be.
“For me it wasn’t worth spending thousands upon thousands of dollars to go to campus just to do my classes online and the potentially get home sent two weeks later,” said McCormick.
McCormick said once the pandemic is over she’ll enroll.
Helping Others
Until then she’ll continue working full-time, and also begin teaching yoga to teenage girls in an effort to help their self-confidence.
“Right now it is so hard to understand your emotions and understand why you’re that way,” said McCormick. “It’s not out of the norm for people to feel awful right now because what’s happening is crazy.”
Naperville News 17’s Christian Canizal reports.
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