Awaiting the 2021–2022 academic year, SCAD students share their opinions
Writing Kaitlynne Rainne, Illustrations by Adrienne Krozack
In only a few weeks, we will be at the one year anniversary of when SCAD students campus wide received the email we had been anxiously looking out for. The one that put an abrupt stop to the normal academic year as we knew it and signaled that classes would be held virtually until further notice due to COVID-19.
A year later, we’ve been living and going to school in this weird state of limbo unsure of what the upcoming academic year will be like. But even in the midst of uncertainty, SCAD students are not allowing themselves or their dreams to be paralyzed by fear. We reached out to some students to hear about what they missed most about Savannah and SCAD, and what would make them feel comfortable if classes were to be held in person in the fall.
Grace Duncan, a third-year interior design and themed entertainment design student said, “I’m looking forward to being back in Savannah in the Fall. I miss being with my friends and really just the overall energy of SCAD. It’s such a beautiful place with lots of energy. Masks and temperature kiosks, maybe even some on-campus testing centers as well to make testing easier and more accessible to students would be great to see and would make me comfortable. Overall, I think that going back is a good thing of course, but it needs to be done in a safe way. We as a community need to make sure all guidelines put in place are being upheld so our students and staff can stay safe.”
Joy, a second-year illustration student said, “What would make me comfortable would be the use of temperature kiosks and mandated mask use across campus. I really miss in person classes and connecting with friends so I’m super excited to go back in person.”
“I might be coming back to Savannah in the fall to finish up my classes but I’m not sure. I’m at home now because it’s much more convenient for my financial situation but I’d prefer being in Savannah with my friends. I miss everything about SCAD and Savannah! The food, my friends, my church and sitting in Chippewa Square on warm days. As long as people are wearing masks I’d be comfortable. None of my classes were large to begin with and I think it’d be simple to put space between students in classrooms,” said fourth-year fashion marketing student Nadia Nelson.
Sophia, a third-year sequential art and storyboarding student said, “I’m definitely going to be back in Savannah in the fall. I miss the student clubs and in person class experience. I think Plexiglass separators between professors and students would be great. I feel like a back-to-normalcy plan is long overdue as other schools have been implementing hybrid policies. There’s science to suggest professors should be protected and with these monitoring policies in place, students should have a bit more freedom.”
“I might be going back to Savannah for the fall. I think masks and temperature kiosks around campus would be great to see more of but I am nervous people won’t follow protocol. However, I do miss my friends and socializing so if I do go back, I’ll be really excited,” said third-year interior design student Regyna-Marie Joab.
Emily Sanders, a third-year writing student said, “Using masks, keeping temperature kiosks around and perhaps some on-campus testing sites would be great. I am going back to Savannah in the fall and while I do miss the community environment, I am nervous about going back in person. I’m not sure how much is being done to help the isolation aspect. I’m worried my mental health won’t improve and I’ll feel stuck. Otherwise, I am excited to be back in the city I’ve missed and havin a senior year on campus.”
Across campus, I think we all share the same sentiment. We miss SCAD as we knew it and are excited to return, as long as it is done in a safe way. So, what would you like to see implemented that would make you feel comfortable?
