Freshman Experience during COVID

My son will most likely going to USC and am wondering about how Freshmen did this past fall with Covid restrictions and being in dorms. I know some upper classmen who live off campus and have their “friend” group already and they were fine as they had a pod to hang out with but for Freshman I would think much more difficult. I have read some sad stories on other pages of very depressed Freshman stuck in dorms and eventually coming home. Any feedback from current Freshman? FYI - we are from NJ

I have a Junior but am on the USC parents page on Facebook (which I recommend joining if your son enrolls) and saw a little bit of everything from freshman parents. Some kids did very well and were able to make dorm friends (I highly recommend a suite or traditional style vs. apartment style, although they’re using more and more apartments these days due to old dorms being torn down on campus–not the best situation) and some kids struggled and decided to go home for the spring semester. There are still groups to join for students who want to meet more people–my daughter even joined two new groups this year. I am cautiously optimistic that this fall will be a lot more normal–I really hope so as I will have a senior and then an incoming college freshman (different school) and desperately want their years to be as close to normal as possible!

Thanks for the feedback and tip about suite style. Praying Fall 2021 will be a bit more normal for them.

My son is a freshmen in Capstone and has adjusted well. He has met some good friends and is rushing a fraternity this semester . It has definitely been different from what everyone has envisioned and some students have had a hard time both socially and academically. He made Deans list first semester as well . I hope next year will be different