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For the first time in nearly a year-and-a-half, many Syracuse University international students returned to campus for a fully in-person experience.

Many international students said the process of booking a flight back to campus was difficult and time-consuming because of limited ticket availability, which required them to take multiple connecting flights to get to Syracuse. 

Joyce Jing, a junior advertising major from Shanghai, China, who spent two semesters online, had to take three different flights to get to Syracuse, totaling 30 hours in travel time. She struggled to find available flights from Shanghai to Syracuse, and even after talking to travel agencies, she felt the prices and flight times were not ideal.

Jing spent almost two months trying to purchase airline tickets and was able to book a flight after she saw that Cathay Pacific, a Hong Kong-based airline, opened more seats and flights to the U.S.

Her ability to secure a flight was influenced by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel restrictions prohibiting certain travelers who were physically present in China 14 days prior to their attempted entry into the U.S. from entering the country, she said. 

Zheming Fan, an advertising junior who spent two semesters remote from Beijing, China, took two flights to get to New York City and then traveled to Syracuse by car. 

Fan’s ticket purchasing process was also difficult, but he eventually connected with other Chinese international students in a WeChat group chat and was able to purchase tickets at a reduced price, he said. 

Yuki Jiang, an SU senior from China who spent two semesters online, said her ticket was canceled multiple times, and she was not able to get a ticket secured until April. From Shanghai, she took two flights to get to Syracuse. 

Many students who spent at least two semesters at SU remotely said that the transition back to in-person learning can be strenuous but beneficial. 

Since Jing found it difficult to pay attention in Zoom classes, she prefers to take classes in person. With in-person classes, she feels an “invisible pressure” to pay closer attention to the lecture because she can see that her peers are also paying attention, she said. 

Jiang wants more face-to-face interaction, and she felt that the breakout room feature of Zoom imposed limitations on her learning experience. 

“I think most students feel embarrassed joining breakout rooms, but with in-person classes, we can decide the conversation and how long it is, and we don’t have to wait until the breakout rooms time is over,” Jiang said. 

The time difference between the U.S. and China made online learning difficult for Fan. He said one of his advertising classes was at 5 a.m. in his time zone. 

Fan finds it difficult to choose which mode of learning he prefers, as both in-person and Zoom classes have their disadvantages, he said. He found that certain courses were offered only at certain times. Meanwhile, the ten-minute walk from one class to another on some days is stressful.

“It just makes me feel tired and nervous on those days, and it’s better for me to take online classes,” Fan said.

The three students said they missed the feeling of being on campus. Jing was excited to visit the facilities, both old and new. She looked forward to visiting the newly-renovated Schine Student Center and the Carrier Dome, she said. 

Before Fan first arrived in New York, he was hesitant to travel because he heard that COVID-19 conditions were severe in the U.S. But because everyone on his flight was wearing a mask, he said he is hopeful for a better experience this year.

“When I first came (to the U.S.), I felt a little bit nervous still because of COVID,” Fan said. “I think it’s better than I thought, and I believe I will have a better year in the U.S.”

Published on September 9, 2021 at 12:32 am

Contact Jade: jchung19@syr.edu