While the fall semester has just about come to a close, most of us are left dissatisfied with the modified version of a college experience. Though many remain hopeful that things will be different by the spring, a normal spring semester may be too good to be true.
Florida A&M University officials have made some strategic decisions as far as whether or not classes will be moving forward virtually or in person. Provost Maurice Edington released an email stating the re-opening plans for the spring. The plans to reopen left us hopeful for somewhat of a traditional spring semester on campus.
It is no question that FAMU is more than just an education. It is an experience you can’t find anywhere else. The decision to make the fall remote was both disheartening and painful to deal with. Many of us did however flock to the hills for the fall semester regardless of the new campus regulations, remaining optimistic that the fall could give us our fix of the FAMU experience.
While some students were not allowed to come back to campus at all due to parental advice, others really didn’t see the need to return. The spring semester truly became a beacon of hope for many. With thoughts of spring football and possibilities of events — such as Be Out Day and Relay For Life — being in person, most of us thought that we may have had a chance to redeem our experience.
The light of the spring semester, however, is starting to slowly dwindle as reports of spring football being canceled have finally surfaced.
“Florida A&M Athletics’ decision to opt-out and forgo the 2021 spring football, indoor track & field and volleyball season was made with the health and safety of our student-athletes as our top priority,” Florida A&M VP/Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha said. “This was a collective decision with our coaches and staff, given the varying circumstances that COVID-19 has created for our program.”
One student, Lawrenica Palmer said her hope for a normal spring semester died along with football season. “My hope for a normal spring has diminished due to the rise of Covid cases and the cancelation of football,” Palmer said. “It seems the school is going to move towards similar methods next semester.”
Several students took to Twitter to express their feelings towards the announcement of FAMU canceling spring games.
@naicasho tweeted: “Famu really had me hype for spring football only to cancel it. This is sick.” Similar sentiments were shared all across the rattler nation.
Famu alumnae @sitiart tweeted “NO FAMU FOOTBALL NEXT SPRING!? It’s all @therealdonaldtrump’s fault! You let MissRona knockout HBCU football! For someone who claims they did so much for HBCUs YOU HAVE NO CREDIBILITY. GET OUT.”
With all the cancellations and rescheduling, it should be no wonder why we started to give up hope and optimism for the upcoming semester.
Biology pre-medicine major Kyarra Jackson said that she’s not hopeful for changes in the spring semester. “I don’t believe the spring semester will be normal with the Covid-19 cases rising so high.”
COVID-19 has certainly redefined our views on what we consider normal. It has become apparent throughout this pandemic that we simply have to reconstruct how we define normal in a rattler nation. Realistically, clinging to the hopes of a spring semester may not be the best option. It is time to start preparing yourself for an altered version of normal this upcoming spring semester.