UNC students share the little things they miss about campus

Amid the University’s shift to remote learning, many students are now taking classes and engaging with the campus community while not physically being there. But even in doing so, they are often reminded of what they are leaving behind on campus. 

What students seem to miss the most is not necessarily having a personalized dorm room, a memorable “rager” or a leisurely stroll down Franklin Street. For Haley Simons, a junior sociology and women and gender studies double major, it’s the little things on campus that she misses the most. 

“I miss Joann, the crossing guard,” Simons said. “When the school shut down, she actually posted on one of the Facebook pages that she loved us and missed us, and that was really sweet.” 

While logging into Zoom courses from their childhood bedrooms, students feel the loss of having a secure and peaceful space to study with friends. The libraries on campus are known to be helpful, but being at home inhibits students from utilizing their resources.

“Honestly, when I think about what I miss most, I'm just like, staying until Davis closes, where there are like 10 people, maybe, in all of Davis,” Simons said. “I have this one specific seat that I would sit in on the seventh floor and that was where I sat if I really needed to power through and crank out assignments.”

Zoe Beyer, a junior majoring in peace, war and defense, said she misses the campus environment of seeing people on the quad and wondering what's going on throughout the day. 

“I think what I miss most is spontaneity,” Beyer said. “The little things about campus have always been the best for me, like running into a friend, deciding to walk somewhere and grab coffee or a smoothie or walking to Hillel knowing someone will be there. All of that has been taken away.” 

Many students feel that the trivial aspects of college life go unnoticed until they have been taken away. 

“It’s like all the joy has been sucked out of college and we're left with the empty shell of class schedules,” Beyer said.

Jessica James, a junior neuroscience major, looks back on late nights with her friends. 

“I miss going to club meetings, going on late-night food runs with friends and crying in the library the day before an exam and study sessions with my friends,” James said. 

It's no secret that students often have a hard time focusing on their classwork from home. 

“One thing that I never thought I would miss is going to the bottom of the Union, whether it was just to hang out or to do homework,” James said. “At home, it's kind of difficult to recreate that experience because just being around people made my day, and in the current situation, that's really difficult to do.” 

Ultimately, whether it be the familiar faces they see on campus, spontaneous smoothies they grab after class or late nights they spend studying with friends, many students are feeling each small loss of being on campus now more than ever. 

“The worst part, in my opinion, is just missing out on the college experience,” James said. “I've heard these four years of undergrad are our formative years, and to be at home and not get to have that experience is just heartbreaking.”

@leriggsb

arts@dailytarheel.com