SALISBURY, Md - The first day of classes at Salisbury University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore are in the books.
Students say, despite an ongoing pandemic, it feels good to be back. UMES freshman Brennan Holden says, "it's great to see all my friends again. You know? To get back to campus life, get situated with classes."
For students at UMES, they were given bags of "Welcome Back PPE". Which they will need because almost everything on campus has social distancing in mind, says freshman Danielle Edwards.
"You can't sit in the cafeteria. Everything is takeout. Some classes are online or they're hybrid so you're kinda missing out on that social interaction," Edwards says.
Some students like Raven Hammond hope she will have a better grip on the hybrid model UMES is offering.
"It is kinda hectic trying to keep up with the work when you're not being taught face-to-face but I'm gonna try my best again like I did last semester."
Salisbury University just 10 miles up the road is moving ahead with roughly the same conviction. President Charles Wight believes SU's low positivity rate from last semester can continue in the spring semester.
"I'm acutely aware that tests don't prevent the spread of disease, human behavior does. But, the focus of the university on encouraging everybody to wear masks and social distance and hand hygiene and everything really got the message through to our students especially and faculty and staff," Wight says.
Each school will offer regular COVID testing to both faculty and students to ensure classes can continue in-person.
