Monday was back-to-school day at the University of Virginia, with the beginning of the spring semester.
Snow and ice still blanket the Grounds. Monday’s early morning temperatures hovered in the low 30s, so there was not a lot of melting going on. Some students bundled up, while others braved the cold in hoodies, with hands in pockets.
Second-year students Ryan Al Brazi and Maribel Saade fueled up for classes at Starbucks. “I need coffee before class,” Al Brazi said. “I wouldn’t be able to function without it.”
Second-year students Ryan Al Brazi and Maribel Saade at Starbucks, where they met for breakfast.
Saade, who is from Lebanon, said she’s most excited about her French course. Al Brazi said he’s looking forward to his design discovery course. “It teaches you how to come up with a product,” he said.
At 9:30 a.m., Madison Kapur was at the UVA Bookstore, stocking up on spiral notebooks and a 2025 planner ahead of her 10 a.m. course, Evolution in Ecology.
First-year student Madison Kapur is ready for the spring semester, with brand-new school supplies.
Just outside, third-year student Kate Johnson was headed to class. The biology major said she was most looking forward to her cellular mechanisms course. “I’m really excited,” she said. “It’s a small class and just kind of getting into the nitty-gritty of drug discovery, which is pretty cool.”
At the dining hall in Newcomb Hall, Kathy McGruder, fondly known by students as “Miss Kathy,” was cheerily welcoming students back to UVA. “Hi baby,” she said lovingly to one. “You rock, rock star.”
Third-year student Kate Johnson is a member of UVA’s volleyball team. The Florida native said she was readjusting to the cold weather in Charlottesville.
Asked how she was feeling about the start of the spring semester, she said, “Honey, I’m happy seeing them come in.
“It’s bittersweet,” she continued, already thinking ahead to Finals Weekend with tears welling in her eyes. “That’s the only thing I don’t like about this job is saying goodbye. But we’ll wait until May to cry.
