Student Spotlight: Mykah Puryear DeMeulenaere SM ’23

What have you enjoyed most about being back on campus?

I think what I have enjoyed the most about being back on campus has been the little things: running into someone (especially someone I haven’t seen since before the pandemic), being able to eat in the dining halls again, walking to a classroom instead of just flipping open my laptop. Campus just feels so much more open now, and I’ve really enjoyed that after so much time in lockdown.

What is one Yale tradition you are especially excited about returning to this year?

Something I’m really looking forward to is the return of (in-person) concerts and games. We have so many talented artists and athletes here, who haven’t been able to play, perform, or share their talent with an audience properly in so long, and I feel that having those events again (especially the Yale-Harvard game) is really going to bring back a key part of Yale’s campus culture.

What has been the biggest challenge for you as a Yale student during the pandemic?

One of the biggest challenges during the pandemic was definitely the online learning. It’s not the fault of any of the teachers, but staring at a computer screen for that long is just innately boring and hard to concentrate on. Even for students who can learn just as well over Zoom, there is a lack of classroom community that you can’t forge online.

What has it been like returning to in-person learning?

It’s been great! I find in-person learning to be much more engaging, and even the act of running around campus all day moving from class to class or to a dining hall or an in-person meeting helps to keep your day interesting!

Can you share any positives that came as a result of remote learning?

One of the main positives from remote learning was the freedom it gave people to be all around the world and still involved with Yale. People were able to travel (COVID-safely) and spend time in cities that they might not have gotten to explore during a normal college experience.

How are you reconnecting with friends on campus this fall?

Reconnecting with people on campus has been great so far! One of the main things has been running into people that I haven’t seen in over a year and getting to catch up and hear about their pandemic experience.

What has been the general feeling on campus?

The general feeling on campus has definitely been positive! I think everyone has been really excited to get back to (or experience for the first time) a mostly normal college experience. We’ve been really good about keeping the infection numbers down as a campus, and I think we have all really appreciated everyone working together to preserve this almost-normal life we get to live here.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

Personally, I’ve been really enjoying classes this semester being back in-person, and I’m looking forward to diving further into my major academically, and my clubs and extracurriculars, and time with friends. Just really enjoying little things that we couldn’t have last year, like eating food from the butteries, and exploring all of the new buildings and spaces on campus this year!