Campus full of life on first day of in-person classes

SF State welcomed its students back to in-person classes Monday, with the campus full of events occurring across campus to mark the return since December. 

Sororities and fraternities set up booths in front of the Cesar Chavez Student Center to gather more members. Delta Sigma Pi, a co-ed fraternity for business majors, hosted a pie-in-the-face to raise funds for a charity called City of Dreams, a Black youth mentorship program. 

After nearly three semesters of online learning, students expressed excitement and anxiousness when interviewed about returning to in-person learning.

“It’s really hard to hold yourself accountable with homework and you also don’t get that same connection that you get from seeing people in real life,” Delta Sigma Pi member Jordyn Nolasco said. “Being able to replay lectures was really nice, but I still prefer in-person lecturing.” 

Marco Ruffinelli and Aaron Galef, both on the wrestling team, are eager to be on campus and to work with coach Jason Welch and assistant coach Anthony Mancini.

“We have our postseason coming up for wrestling,” Galef said. “I’m really excited to wrestle and show the country what I have to offer.” 

SF State junior Lucas Rodriguez expressed concerns about another COVID-19 surge within the next coming months. For now, recent trends across the Bay Area and state indicate the omicron surge peaked in early January, and cases are now drastically declining.

“The mask mandate is important to be kept in place, regardless if people like it or not, in order to protect people,” senior Taylor Pierce said.

SF State students are still required to upload an updated booster shot on their MyHealth app before Feb. 28. 

If not uploaded on time, they may be denied access to on-campus and/or in-person campus programs. The university will also place a hold on students’ accounts, preventing them from enrolling in the next semester.