After a spring semester online and a summer of uncertainty, Colorado Mesa University (CMU) has returned to campus.  

As part of the Safe Together, Strong Together initiative, all students were required to test negative before returning to campus. Various regulations, such as mandatory face masks and a no-guest policy in the dorms, have been put in place to keep students safe.   

However, despite these restrictions, students at CMU were able to have a week filled with fun activities. 

Welcome week went well, with dozens of students coming together for activities such as grocery bingo, a showing of the movie Moana, a glow in the dark 5K and more.   

I’ve heard many people complain about the restrictions. Many students don’t want to wear masks, abide by social-distancing regulations or get used to hybrid or online classes.

It’s true that nobody really wants to face the changes the pandemic has brought upon our campus. Nobody WANTS to wear a mask. Nobody WANTS to stay six feet apart from their friends. But the reality is that our country is dealing with a global pandemic.

Thousands of universities across the country have moved completely online. Students at CMU are some of the lucky ones.  

We are lucky enough to be a part of a school that’s open, we are lucky enough to go to class, see our friends and maintain some sense of normalcy even if things look different.

If this first week is at all indicative of how the rest of the semester will go, I think CMU is in for a good year. 

I attended most of the events, wearing my brand-new Mav Mask, and I had a great time playing grocery bingo, watching Moana and running a 5K with my roommates and friends.  

Sure, life on campus isn’t as vibrant as it was before. Sure, things are different. Yeah, some of the COVID-19 restrictions are just that: restrictive. But we need to accept that this is how it must be to keep us safe. 

As far as I’m concerned, CMU is doing an excellent job providing fun and meaningful experiences even amidst the grim reality of this pandemic.   

If students take the necessary precautions of avoiding parties, abiding by social-distancing guidelines and staying within Mesa County (and the surrounding area), I think we can look forward to a good year.  

Our lives have all changed over the spring and summer, and the changes don’t stop just because we’re at school. But we’re in this together, and we can all help each other through the difficulties and hardships the pandemic has presented.   

Campus might look and feel a little bit different now, just like the rest of the world. But students at CMU are still able to experience in-person learning and social events. We can still spend time with our friends.  

Let’s be grateful for this as we look towards an unforgettable semester. Let’s all look beyond ourselves and make a conscious effort to be safe together and strong together.