Pacific University has returned to in-person advising after two semesters of advising done online. After the COVID-19 pandemic started to spread, educational facilities across the globe implemented safety measures, including Pacific University. One such regulation was that all campus activities, including advising, were to be held remotely to reduce contamination. Now that a vaccine has been developed with booster shots following closely behind, Pacific students and staff once again meet in person.
Mid-October to early November brings about the advising period, in which undergraduates meet with their advisors to plan their academic careers.
“I am excited about enrolling in PSY-206 Cognitive Psychology! Everyone’s brain is so complex and unique,” said Said Kaliah Villarin, a junior majoring in Psychology and Pre-Occupational Therapy and will be starting advising on Nov. 2. “I would like to know what goes on inside our brains and how it works.”
Due to the sudden shift of meeting circumstances, Pacific students have begun to notice the difference between in-person and online advising. Opinions regarding the different methods are divided, with many expressing favor toward the former option. Despite that, there have also been acknowledgments as to how each advising form has its advantages.
“In a positive way, I feel like I can have my advising meeting on zoom be a little more accessible because I live off-campus; so, setting up a meeting here at school might be a little difficult,” says Christopher Tarver, a junior theater major.
Although there have been acknowledgments in regards to the advantages of both methods, students at Pacific are still happy to meet their advisors in person again. There is a general consensus that registering for the right classes can be a challenge. And yet, there is still the thought that communication is the key to success. Said belief is shared by student Kaliah Villarin, who has acknowledged both the difficulty and how she personally got past it.
“I don’t believe that advising got harder now that it’s in-person,” says Kaliah Villarin. “Personally, I think it’s best to interact with people in person than virtually.”
The advantage that in-person advising has over its online counterpart has been expanded on. To some, online advising is not only impersonal but also lacks the feelings of investment present in face-to-face conversation.
“I feel that being able to have a person here this semester will make me feel more comfortable with my class selections,” says Christopher Tarver. “When you’re talking to someone on a computer, you get a sense that they are in their own world, and you are in your own world, but the both of y’all aren’t really communicating.” — Max Pennington
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