Things I Didn't Miss About In-Person Classes

By Amanda Kaplowitz

Like many of my fellow Cornell classmates, I was thrilled by the news that classes would be returning to in-person sessions this semester. After an all-virtual year, I was eager to get back to some sense of normalcy.

But, what I didn’t account for were all of the things that maybe aren’t so great about attending classes in-person. There are things I’d forgotten– or perhaps purposely blocked out of my brain – that make online classes seem more appealing than I’d thought.  

For starters, the thing that no one likes to talk about but everyone experiences, is the sweaty walk to class. When you’re trekking to campus, backpack in tow, huffing and puffing up the hills, breaking a sweat is practically inevitable. And, when you finally sit down in class, let’s be honest – you’re dripping. I’ve come to learn that wearing layers is essential for in-person classes. 

Another major struggle that Zoom solved was not being able to hear the professors or see the board. Gone are the days of cranking the volume up on your computer or zooming in your screen to see the words. Now, I’m sitting in the balcony of the Statler auditorium, and I find that my teacher’s measly microphone just isn’t cutting it. 

I also miss the luxury of online office hours. It was so much easier to Zoom in for help from any location around campus, especially if you had a quick question that would be easy to solve. While in-person office hours are great for actually getting to know the TAs, the ease of logging on at your leisure is something I greatly miss.

Another distant memory that was brought back at the start of this semester: iClickers. I had to dig to the bottom of my backpack to find my dusty, old iClicker that hasn’t seen the light of day in two full years. Goodbye Zoom polls and hello to my old friend the iClicker.

Finally, can we discuss the layout of in-person classes? These classroom setups simply aren’t logistical. The seats are so close together, and the desks flip up or down or swing around, and they’re way too small. And, where do you put your coffee cup?

At the end of the day, all of these are just small obstacles to overcome, and there are certainly benefits to in-person instruction. I really love meeting new people, interacting with my classmates and professors, and not having to worry about whether my mic is on mute.