Your guide to in-person classes at Laurier

Time to ditch the pajamas – Laurier will resume in-person instruction on Jan. 31. Based on class size and activity, a four-phased approach will be taken with mandatory proof of two vaccinations and face-coverings. 

In the wake of this exciting update, it’s completely natural to feel nervous . For students who joined Laurier during the pandemic, this will be our first time experiencing all classes in lecture halls. Even upper-year students may have worries about returning after having acclimated to remote learning. 

Here are some tips to keep in mind for a smooth transition! 

We’re all side characters

Eyes are scary. Seriously, walking into a room when it feels like everyone’s staring at you is the real life equivalent of a horror movie. Add a near-identical mask to every face, and you’ve got the plot for a Stephen King story. 

The good news is we’re all side characters in other people’s lives – not to say we’re entirely unimportant, but most people are too focused on their own matters to actively judge others. Chances are, the same person we’re intimidated by also paced around anxiously outside the door before entering. 

Let’s walk into rooms with the confidence of a side character, reassured by the idea that the audience is preoccupied. 

Skip the all-nighter 

Those with mandatory morning courses — and us masochists who deliberately chose one — have mastered the art of attending lectures from bed. The prospect of finally getting to learn in-person will hopefully be motivation enough, since we’ll now be inclined to wake up earlier and get ready.

I’m not going to give advice on how to fall asleep when I still find myself staying up until ungodly hours, so I asked my mom, who dozes off as soon as her head hits the pillow. 

“I like to pretend I’m wrapped in a cotton candy cloud that will break if I move,” she said. “This keeps me from tossing around all night and I can just lie still, so I fall asleep easily.” 

She claims her strategy wasn’t inspired by the iconic “California Gurls” music video, in which Katy Perry laid on a cotton candy cloud while undressed, but it had to have been a muse. 

Chargers are important. Maybe even more so than student IDs. 

While this may sound obvious, I can’t count the amount of times I’ve settled down in a study space only to realize my laptop is at 5 per cent and my charger is back at my apartment. 

With these tips in mind, we’re all set for in-person classes. Good luck, and stay Golden!