When we returned to Bruté and Marian University from our summer break, it was not the same university which we had left in March. Marian had the same buildings (and the construction of a new residence hall), the same classes, and many of the same faces, but you could immediately tell there was something unusual going on. All the desks in the classrooms were spread out, some chairs had covers saying “Don’t Sit Here”, and many of the usual gathering spaces for students on campus had been reconfigured to accommodate social distancing. A few of my classes are online, which has made some aspects of college life more stressful than before. And of course, everyone as far as the eye could see had masks on! The same went for Bruté, as masks are required, and social distancing when lining up for meals or functions in the chapel. We are constantly reminded of the historic event that we are living through, though it is usually for the sake of keeping us and the people we care about safe. These changes can make the “college experience” seem drastically different and at times can be more stressful, but our “different college experience” still goes on.

            And even with all these differences among the university campus and our castle, formation, education, and fun times still occur. Everything that we did last year, we have for the most part kept the same or slightly changed (or improved, in some cases) to fit the new standards and guidelines that are in place. Even during this global pandemic, we are still college seminarians discerning God’s will for us in our lives, and we are still learning and growing in the spiritual, intellectual, and (especially) human pillars. The castle is still our home, and we love it.