On Campus Hopes


So on the 200th day of 2021, I got up earlier than usual, I shaved, I put on a collared shirt, a tie, and long pants, I put on shoes, I got in my van, and I commuted - TO THE PENN CAMPUS!  Yes, 7/19/2021 was my first time in the office (for more than an hour just to get some things) since 3/17/2020.  Upon my arrival, I got the BEST greeting from two coworkers happy to see me (and I was happy to see them).  I got to see Eric at the front desk and thank him for all he has done in the past year and a half.  I got to get settled back in to Room 200A of the Franklin Building, I attended a meeting in our Conference Room that is now equipped to do video meetings, and I got a parking ticket 7 minutes after I had fed the parking kiosk (yes, I will be contesting, I have proof!)  But the parking ticket could not take the luster off of a wonderful return to campus.  I got a new PennCard (lost it on 7/2, I ALMOST made it the whole pandemic with my card intact!), I ran into people randomly as I walked to the office (this is one of the best things about being on campus, the random community meetings), and I was happy to be at work, ON CAMPUS!  Yes, I have On Campus Hopes.  I hope that things continue on the path to have us returning to On Campus work by the middle of August.  I hope that the increased occurrences of the variants do not derail the plans for a full, On Campus semester.  I hope that the students, staff, faculty, and affiliates of Penn can, once again, be together, in community, ON CAMPUS!  Oh, I really hope so!

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