Long Beach State started its fall semester Monday, but to anyone familiar with the campus, it would be impossible to tell.
The transition to virtual learning for most departments, along with the closures of facilities like the University Library, made for a quiet first day of the semester with few students and faculty on campus.
The infamous escalators outside the University Student Union, normally filled with students coming to and from upper and lower campus, were empty. The Nugget Grill and Pub, a popular eatery for students, is serving take out meals only.
Although most students and faculty will remain off campus, CSULB expects to have about 1,000 students and faculty per day.
In comparison to the packed parking lots that forced instructors to cancel their own classes, the now empty lots serve as a reminder as to just how different this semester will be.