Settling into campus has taken some adjusting, but students say it's welcome after years of pandemic learning

Postsecondary students have been back in class for about two months, and for many adjusting to the so-called "new normal" has come with a bit of a learning curve.

Maricor Ballaret is in her second year at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ont. and works to engage with students about wellness through her role with the school's student union. 

At this stage in the school year, being back to in-person learning is making a big difference, especially for international students like herself, she said. 

Ballaret said she had concerns and nerves heading back to in-person learning in September, but so far the first two months of the school year have been positive.

"Having face-to-face classes ... confirms that now I'm here in Canada, I'm here in Thunder Bay," Ballaret said. "Now at least we feel like we're part of the college community now, as we're back face to face." 

New challenges for students have surfaced as they settle into in-person learning routines, such as navigating city transit schedules, she said. 

For the student union at Confederation College, there's also been some adjusting to do when it comes to meeting students where they're at, and engaging with them now that they're back on campus, Ballaret said.

"I think the great challenge for me is how to come up with those activities, like how to listen to the concerns of students, make them aware that the student union is there for them," she said. 

Across the city, at Lakehead University, Griffen Fox said readjusting schedules has been the biggest challenge, especially as a varsity athlete.

"It's been an adjustment to manage our time that way, just with how busy we are with our schedule … but it's kind of nice to be busy and hold yourself accountable that way," said Fox, who plays on the Lakehead Thunderwolves in Thunder Bay.

For Fox, being back to in-person learning after a year of all online courses has been a welcome change, especially as someone who is new to the city.

"It can be a strain on mental health," he said about online learning. "To just be inside all the time and not be able to socialize, but it was really nice to have 28 or 30 teammates to rely on all the time and hang out with and just be around," he said, adding that the university's athletic department launched a campaign this year to help students focus on wellness.

Across Canada, studies suggest students' mental health has deteriorated in the last two years, as isolation and a global health crisis took a toll on everyone's ability to cope. 

Sixty one per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24 say their mental health has declined since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association.