Despite the gradual return of students and faculty to campus, Long Beach City College\u2019s previously busy centers of student life, the Student Center in the Fishbowl and the Liberal Arts Library, are shadows of their former selves as students adapt to a new COVID normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBefore we went into the pandemic it was a lot more hectic. There were a lot more students coming into the lounge and the Fishbowl,\u201d Vanessa Morales said, student assistant for the Student Affairs Department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut since the pandemic, there are fewer students on campus so there aren\u2019t many people coming in, so it\u2019s not so loud.\u201d Morales said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Student Activities Advisor Kim Hamon is not surprised by the lack of students on campus with COVID-19 still impacting people worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are definitely not a lot of students back on campus compared to before the pandemic, but that is something we were already expecting. I’m really excited for the fall semester because it feels like that is when things will be more lively on campus.\u201d Hamon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Fishbowl, before the COVID-19 shutdown of LBCC\u2019s campuses, would often be filled with students studying, lounging or looking for help answering pressing questions about student life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, it\u2019s common to find the numerous individual study desks, despite being carefully spaced out, completely empty of students and the foosball table missing players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While there might be a different atmosphere, Morales says her job mostly remains the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy job has changed since I\u2019m not helping that many students anymore, [but] I\u2019m still doing what I did before, just a little less,\u201d Morales said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This help includes directing students towards the basic necessities they may need to survive day to day life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve gotten a lot of questions about basic needs, like getting food on campus [or] transportation,\u201d explained Morales, \u201cThere has been a shift in more students asking for resources and I guess it comes from the COVID situation or money problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Julie Johnson, a Student Support Services personnel, said she\u2019s found students are still concerned about their health safety and what changes the return to campus has in store for learning in a pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOut of everything I\u2019ve heard from students, it\u2019s a lot about the safety measures on campus and how that translates to how professors will be regarding health concerns and missing class,\u201d said Johnson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI do my best to help keep people safe first. I try to tell students to take their safety and health as their number one priority.\u201d Johnson said<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prior to the shutdown, the library on the Liberal Arts Campus was similarly a go-to study spot for students seeking a calming space to focus on their classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the library is now even quieter than normal, as some students choose to work off campus with COVID in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPeople are keeping their eye on the variants and moving in rhythm with that,\u201d Karen Vogel, reference librarian, said, \u201cHopefully we\u2019ll see things return to normal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It might take a while, but Vogel sees light at the end of the tunnel: \u201cResources are being utilized more. And more students are coming in, which is a good sign. I think it\u2019ll be a gradual thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While a robust student life may be lacking for LBCC at the moment, students still have opportunities to socialize and get involved with the school through various clubs and frequent student events on campus featured on the LBCC website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRight now we have 16 clubs for charter and we are anticipating there will be an additional five to ten clubs this semester,\u201d Hamon says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur special interest clubs have really taken a hit because it’s difficult to do outreach to those students with specific interests\u2026 We are all still trying to find the best way to connect with those students and get them engaged with clubs.” Hamon said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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