Three weeks ago this Thursday, upperclassmen returned to campus to lead orientation trips in very unfamiliar surroundings. As their peers trickled back to campus, groups of friends helped each other readjust to a new version of the campus we all know and love.

With seniors trying to make the most of their last year, and juniors and sophomores making up for missed time on campus, each grade faces their own individual struggles. However, most students have also realized that we are all in this together.

One senior, Natalie Halpin ’21, feels extremely grateful for her living situation. As she pulled a freshly baked banana bread out of the oven, she remarked that this semester has given her and her friends the opportunity to really spend time together cooking, watching shows, and doing their work.

One junior, Carson Halabi ’22, has already found some of the silver linings that the new guidelines provide. She continues to notice her peers “eating and drinking outside and really enjoying the beauty of our campus.” Even with a change in the normal Hamilton social life, Halabi has experienced “a more mellow [time] which can be a really nice thing to balance out our busy academic life.”

The new regulations have given the personality traits of the typical Hamilton student a chance to emerge and shine. One walk around campus demonstrates the consideration each student has for one another and the precautions that students continue to take.

So far, the campus has zero positive cases, a number Dean of Students Terry Martinez relayed in a welcome video proudly. However, this is just the beginning. The faculty continues to remind the students of the commitment we all have to each other during this time. In the welcome back address, Dean Martinez pleaded that we “all work together to keep us safe.”

At the end of the day, this remains a learning process. So, next time you see someone’s nose peeking out of their mask, or standing a little too close to their friend, remind them that we’re all in this together as a Hamily.