By Connor Bridge

With the emergence of COVID-19 many things needed to be changed in order for the college to reopen in the fall. While some changes were insignificant, one large change was made to the way the dining hall operates. Many students are used to this by now but are still wondering when things will return to normal.

At this point many if not all of the students have gotten accustomed to the current way that the dining hall operates. They walk in, get their temperature taken, pay, and then go get in the line to get their food. After this, students can either sit in the designated seating area or take their food and go. For new students, this process may seem normal. But for upperclassmen, it is a large change from how things were before the pandemic. Before, the food was self-served and the amount of seating space was much larger. This leaves all those who experienced that version of the dining hall wondering when it will return to normal.

In an interview with Corey Wagner, the dining hall manager here at York, he discussed how the dining hall changed and how he believes it will operate in the future. Wagner said that he believes that the dining hall will continue to operate as it has been for the rest of the spring semester but is still uncertain how the upcoming fall semester will go. His goal is to bring back100% of the seating capacity that was there prior to the pandemic. About 80% of the seating was removed, he said.

In regards to how he believes the dining hall will operate in the future, Wagner says that he thinks it will be a hybrid of the current and old ways.

Even if some regulations are lifted Wagner does not think that the dining hall will return to being self-served but other things such as the lines and seating will return to the way they were before.

Connor Bridge is a Mass Communications major with an anticipated graduation in 2024.