A First Day Like No Other

After three months of distance learning and a summer of uncertainty, USM students were more than ready to get back to school on Sept. 1. Those who chose to learn on campus, about 85% of all students, were required to abide by the school’s mask wearing, frequent hand washing, and physical distancing rules for optimum safety. Even with the new rules, there was excitement in the air. “I love first days of school,” said Steve Hancock in his first-ever Opening Ceremony address at USM. “Each year at this time we get to reinvent ourselves. We make new goals and try new things. We get a fresh start at USM. And we could all use a fresh start this school year.”