Schools in Mumbai reopened in a phased manner earlier in the week for the first time since March 2020 amid the new normal. With Class 8 to Class 12 being the first to return to classrooms, junior college -- which falls into that classification -- has resumed too. However, for senior college students, classes have remained online so far. The uncertainty over when they will be able to get back on campus still lurks. 

While some introverted college-goers may be enjoying the new virtual way of life, it has largely hampered the social interactions of many. That has certainly been the case for Kaneena Venugopal, a second year management studies student who started senior college in 2020. “Considering that I haven’t even been to my degree college and I’m already halfway through this course, I do miss just being on campus with friends. Especially because I was very active in junior college with cultural festivals and everything,” she explains. With the ongoing uncertainty, Venugopal is unsure how she will cope when she finally attends college in person, as she has become accustomed to not travelling and attending lectures online.