Ehmet Thornton-Ayres spoke with Junior Business Major Katie Bryson who spoke about her experience as a commuter student at Thomas More University during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is it like being a commuter at Thomas More in general?
It’s good to be able to go home and be at home whenever I want, but it is hard to be away from campus and feeling like you are not involved.
What all are you involved in at Thomas More?
“I am in the choir, I play women’s lacrosse, I am a Student Ambassador, I was the head of the honors society, and I am a Cleve’s Scholar.”
That’s a lot to be involved in as a commuter - is it hard to get involved when you don’t live on campus.
“I think one of the reasons why I did is just that - because it is hard to do. When you go home after school you don’t get to really participate much with the school. I wanted to get involved even though it takes a lot of time and effort. It provides a lot of new outlets and allows you to meet new people.”
Do you think that has made your educational experience better?
“I do, for sure. Especially now with COVID-19 - isolating yourself makes everything harder.”
How, if in any way, has COVID-19 impacted you as a commuter student?
“If a professor decides to go all online or be in class at the last minute, you have to be prepared to change your whole day. Some people take for granted they can go right back to their room - commuters like me have to be ready and bring all our books with us just in case and plan your whole day.”
Has the change in class schedules thrown much off for you?
“Work has been a bit harder; I have to allow more time for my commute now, but I feel I have it under control now. I also find myself stuck at campus for periods of time in between classes which can be annoying.”
There has been talk around campus about the course loads being vastly different - in good ways and in bad ways - do you have insight on this?
“I know that everyone learns differently - some people do not learn as well online - there have been a lot of tech issues and bugs. There’s also the slight problem of trying to find a compatible time to meet with your teacher and ask questions outside of class.”
Do you feel like you are getting the appropriate help that you need given the pandemic?
“I personally have not run into many problems, but I have noticed that with the semester being shortened it seems we are doing a lot more work and everyone is a little stressed.”
What advice would you offer your fellow students both commuters and on-campus?
“To take some time to sit down and schedule - it helps to keep things less chaotic. Try to still get involved - it's a lot of fun and makes the whole experience a lot better.”
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