First-year student Dalton Rice emphasizes importance of in-person classes
Written by Kaitlynne Rainne and Vinay Ranganathan, Photos courtesy of Kendra Frankle and Dalton Rice
“Once you get a taste of in-person classes, you don’t want to go back,” said first year SCAD student Dalton Rice. Originally from Palm Coast, Fla. he relocated to Savannah and is taking classes virtually and in-person during this quarter. Rice said that the experiences have been worlds apart and he is extremely grateful to have been able to experience in-person classes. He favors the in-person learning experience over online classes.
“Professors tried their best to cultivate a positive and “normal” learning environment [in online classes],” Rice said. He said he felt, however, that he would adapt better in an in-person environment.
When asked about how that experience has been, he smiled agreeing that in-person classes have been amazing. “There’s no more sleeping in until 7:50 a.m. and turning on the computer for class. I have to set alarms and get ready early to get to the buses on time.”
Rice said that waking up at 6 a.m. is completely worth it and he wouldn’t change it. To him, being able to have a ‘normal’ college experience is worth the early mornings and multiple alarms. Receiving guidance from professors and having his peers nearby for critique has been fun. It has helped him form meaningful connections we all look for in our first years in college.
Knowing that there would be some anxiety about rejoining others in-person, Rice assured us that SCAD has been maximizing spaces and ensuring students’ safety, “They’ve been really creative about it,” he said. In Arnold Hall, for instance, his class only has seven people in the room, and they each have a desk with the surrounding desks empty to ensure students stay the recommended 6 feet apart.
This leaves the question, is there anything that could be implemented next quarter to help? Rice had some possible solutions for next quarter so that classes could feel more like a regular college experience. He said that spacing might be an issue but to, “Be creative with spacing to fit more people, which is what freshmen want.”
Emphasizing the importance of in-person classes for first-year students, he said, “Being able to take foundation courses in person allows for a connection with the professor to guide you.”
Rice also stressed the importance of being on top of your work during this time. “Stay on top of it while taking online classes, losing that motivation can really hurt when we only have 10 weeks. It’s difficult, but I think the important thing is that we try to recover that ‘normal’ college experience.”
