With the sun making an appearance after a downpour of rain over winter break, students, faculty and staff have returned to campus for the Spring 2026 semester. With the buzzing excitement of new classes many students are adapting back to sleep schedules, studying and of course, finding time to party.
Yael Esquivel, a third year majoring in business management, has stepped onto campus for the first time this semester. She transferred from College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, where she majored in marketing. After doing a marketing internship she shifted her sites to business management.
She said that she chose Chico because it was one of the only schools that offered the program she was looking for. So far, she’s enjoyed her classes and professors.
“They’ve all been really good,” Esquivel said. “I feel like all the professors I have had have been really good and passionate.”
Deandre Dross, a third year majoring in liberal studies, has been on campus since he began his college journey. Through his general education classes, he is happy to focus on his major classes.
Reflecting back on the past three years, Dross said that everyone new and returning should “be open to trying new things, you’ll learn to love it.”
Michael Prescro, a third year majoring in mechanical engineering, transferred to Chico State’s campus last semester from Riverside City College. So far, he’s grateful for the classes and professors he has had.
During the tail end of last semester he spent a lot of time at the library, something he plans to continue into the new semester. He explained that it allowed him to focus and study with fellow classmates .
As an outdoorsy person, he said that “as it gets closer to summer time I want to check the hiking trails out. I want to find some people and go do it.”
While it isn’t being outside, first year Koda Lee, majoring in English, found a community at KCSC, Chico State’s radio station. She’s already begun partaking in the early semester activities as she tabled for KCSC outside of Butte Station Thursday.
Zion Fozo, majoring in U.S. politics, was excited to share that it was her final first week of undergraduate education. She’s been applying to graduate schools and said it was surreal to be stepping into the unknown, “that’s not really a feeling I’ve had since stepping onto Chico’s campus.”
“There is a very scary thing with stepping into a new community, and finding those new places that I have found in Chico, and finding those people,” Fozo said. “Chico is amazing, I love this campus, I love this city, I love this community.”
Fozo is also the commissioner of community affairs for Associated Students, a role that seeks to include student voices in events for the community.
“I think that a lot of students hold themselves back by, ‘what if I get judged, what if I get embarrassed’,” Fozo said. “Just go, I find that sometimes I’ll have fun wandering into an event and say hi to people.”
As students step into the new semester, Fozo said “Don’t be afraid to do something that is a little outside of your comfort zone. I know it’s intimidating, potentially a new city, community and social aspect — but just try it.”
Chris Hutton can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
