Alexis Gamache said it was “a little negligent” for USF to resume classes five days after Hurricane Milton tore through the Tampa Bay area.

Though Gamache is grateful for the resources USF has provided, she was dismayed by the university’s plan.

“There are other ways to show you care, including giving your students and faculty a little bit more time to recover from natural disasters,” she said.

As some students were still dealing with disruptions caused by Milton, they argued USF’s decision to resume classes overlooked some recovery challenges.

Gamache said she contracted pneumonia after helping her friends and family restore their homes in Milton’s aftermath.

With the infection and the lack of power and Wi-Fi at her St. Pete home, she said it was hard to put effort into school.

Before the storms, Gamache had all A’s. Now, she said some B’s slipped in. 

“It’s just been very stressful trying to keep up, especially as I’m trying to keep my GPA high for nursing school,” she said.

 The problem for students isn’t that campuses are open again, but that classes started when they couldn’t attend, Gamache said.

“Opening campuses as a way for people to get air conditioning, charge up their phones and call family is an amazing way to show that you care without having to open up classes at the same time,” she said.

The university said reopening campuses would allow faculty and staff who didn’t have power at home to “safely” work on campus. 

Related: USF students seek comfort at MSC in Milton’s aftermath

As for classes, the university advised instructors to provide maximum flexibility for students. Starting Tuesday and for the rest of last week, they could choose between holding in-person, online synchronous or asynchronous classes.

Cayley McCloskey, a junior psychology major, said she was surprised when she found out the school was reopening with the possibility of in-person classes being held.

“I thought for sure school would be canceled until Thursday,” McCloskey said. “It seemed a little early because so many people were still without electricity.”

The estimated date for all Hillsborough County residents to have their power restored was last Thursday, according to TECO.

The university advised students with difficulty traveling to campus or still experiencing a power outage to notify their instructors as soon as possible.

Related: USF Botanical Gardens begins Milton cleanup: ‘There’s never been anything like this’

In-person classes weren’t an option for Gamache because most gas stations near her home ran out of fuel, she said.

All of Gamache’s professors moved their classes online — but that still meant she had to use her limited phone service for assignments.

Other USF professors decided to hold in-person classes.

Ashok Upadhyaya, a molecular biosciences professor, said he met with his students in person Tuesday and Thursday because he thought it would be in their best interest. 

Upadhyaya had to postpone an exam due to Milton, so he wanted to return to the classroom for face-to-face review sessions, he said.

However, because he noticed some of his students missed the in-person classes, Upadhyaya said he would provide resources on Canvas, such as class recordings, for those still struggling in the aftermath.

Related: A guide to USF’s post-hurricane resources

Even though Upadhyaya said he was “eager” to return to USF, he understands it was only possible because he lives close to campus and wasn’t affected by the storm.

“Everyone’s situation is different depending on where they live and how much they were affected,” Upadhyaya said.

McCloskey said professors are “human too” and are being very flexible at the moment, moving assignments and exams and even updating their syllabi.

Even though resuming classes was inevitable, Gamache said USF could have handled the situation better.

“While the school gives us nice words of encouragement, I do think that a little bit more thought sometimes needs to be put in to show us that they care,” Gamache said.