Freshman CraigAnthony Moore runs a business of baking, lawn care and DJ-ing.

The South 40 tent, designed to provide students a sheltered, well-ventilated work and dining space, has been taken down after being deemed unnecessary by administrators.

For freshmen who had attended classes remotely for their first semester of college, getting a first look at campus wasn’t something done in short sleeves and T-shirts, but rather under the many layers of clothing necessary for the bitter St. Louis conditions of mid-January.

No matter how many booths are blocked off by blue tape, the people who make BD what it is are still there.

Seeing students gathered outside of a building during a fire alarm––some without coats, some without shoes, some half asleep––is a common sight on the South 40. Because of COVID-19 and online classes, students have spent more time in their rooms, increasing the likelihood that they may need to evacuate their building due to a fire alarm. Four freshmen share fire alarm stories from their time on the South 40.

With one semester under my belt, I did a little reflecting on how it went. Now, I consider myself a seasoned sailor of the COVID-infested waters that at some points, I’ll admit, made me a little nauseous. I’m learning to steer my metaphorical boat more smoothly.

Four freshmen, each with their own unique lock-out experience, share their stories from the fall 2020 semester.

Following the St. Louis County Health Department’s decision to restrict indoor and outdoor dining, all indoor dining was closed on Washington University’s Danforth Campus, Nov. 16.

In a time where we have all been asked to balance safety and socializing, perhaps no one has felt the strain of this task more than the University’s freshmen.

A different kind of welcome message greeted new students at the South 40 Underpass this year.