Top 10 college stories of 2021

During the pandemic, Patti Frasco likened walking through the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill campus to something out of the Twilight Zone, with all the eerily empty spaces formerly occupied by vibrant college life.

“Prior to the pandemic, food brought people together and our dining locations were the hub of activity and gathering,” Frasco wrote in a Viewpoint piece for FM. 

This fall, the UNC dining team and the community they serve had a chance at a “do-over,” as campus dining halls slowly—and safely—began to reclaim their rightful place as a gathering hub and a big part of the “living on campus” experience.

As Frasco points out: “There is nothing like being surrounded by the energy of thousands of young adults coming to campus each fall with grand visions of their new adult life—finding new routines, meeting new friends and trying new foods!”

Check out how the return to campus life in 2021 has been going for colleges across the country with this collection of the college and university stories that shaped the year.