Bridgewater, Va. – On Nov. 11, Residence Life sent out an email to students regarding the newest update on Thanksgiving break information. As the College prepares to close for Thanksgiving break on Nov. 24 at 6 p.m., Residence Life has decided to provide a flexible change into the preplanned schedule. 

For the sake of protecting Bridgewater College students and faculty, Residence Life has decided to allow students to request to remain on campus during break without charge. This has not been possible in previous years.  

Secondly, Residence Life has also issued a fall waiver form, included in the email sent to students, for students concerned about returning to campus after Thanksgiving break. This option will allow students to stay home and learn remotely for the rest of the semester. 

Makayla Zanders, freshman psychology major, was happy when she first received the email because she “did not want to go home for break, then to come back for a week of class and turn around and go home again.”

Similarly, to Zanders’ initial reaction, Isiah Williams, a junior health and exercise science major, “liked the idea because it gave the choice to stay home instead of wasting gas for only a short turnaround time.”

According to senior health and physical education major Hunter Collier, with all of her classes already online, she has decided to stay home after Thanksgiving break. 

“I miss my family and need a break from all the stress going on in the world,” said Collier. “My family tends to help me keep my mind off of it.” 

Collier was not surprised about the option to stay home after Thanksgiving break.

“With the pandemic going on, no one knows when or where people will be exposed to the virus, so it is safer if everyone has the opportunity to choose their safest option,” said Collier. 

BC students have also reacted to the remote learning process. Zanders currently has three online classes and two in-person classes. 

“Currently it is difficult,” explains Zanders. “I think my grades would be a bit better if I could have all my classes in-person, but I understand the school doing what is safe for everyone.” 

Similarly, to Zanders, Williams also has half of his current classes in-person and the other half on Zoom. 

“It has been a little easier transitioning to Zoom learning, because I do not have to get out of bed,” said Williams. “Nevertheless, remote learning is harder because all my professors have to change their teaching style and method, so the majority of the material I am learning, I learned on my own.”

On the contrary, Collier has all online classes this fall semester. 

“I like being a remote learner, because I feel as though it makes me more responsible for classes and assignments because I am not able to speak to my professors face-to-face,” said Collier. “However, I do miss the feeling of being around the other students in my class and being able to communicate to my professors in and out of class.” 

As students are deciding which option is best for their personal health and academic situation, sophomore health and exercise science major Jasmyn Pierce, felt the form and email was “pointless because students are going to do what they want after break whether they sign a form or not.”

Along with the fall waiver form, the spring waiver form is also included in the email for students who are opting to go remote for the spring semester and the rest of the fall semester combined. 

The due date to remain on campus during thanksgiving break was Nov. 17th and the due date for the fall waiver form is Nov. 24th. The instructions are included in an email sent to students from Residence Life on Nov. 11.