MIDDLETOWN, Conn.Horst, who works in philosophy of mind and cognitive science, teaches alongside Tushar Irani, who studies Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, and Stephen Angle, an expert in Chinese philosophy.More about Amelia Nierenberg

Adam Pasick oversees the Times's portfolio of newsletters, including The Morning, DealBook, and pop-ups like the Coronavirus Briefing.Through traditional lectures and experimental exercises, they try to incorporate ancient ideals into their own lives.Amelia Nierenberg writes the Coronavirus Schools Briefing."The whole point is to put our lives and these texts in context," said Steven W. Horst, one of three professors team-teaching the course."The course resonates in different ways in this current moment than it would if we weren't in a pandemic," Irani said."We've forced every school district to figure out how to respond to a pandemic on its own, and it's insane," said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.-- At Wesleyan University,  the semester looks relatively normal, at least by pandemic standards."If we have a safe environment, we should teach a significant portion of our classes in person," said Michael S. Roth, the university's president.We spoke to experts about how trick-or-treating and other celebrations may have to be modified.So far, with extensive testing, cases have remained low."If we don't have a safe environment, we shouldn't reopen."In one of the largest in-person classes this semester, Living a Good Life, students study philosophy as a way of life."We don't want to just be narrowly focused on the pandemic and what we can and can't do," Angle said."We're constantly asking: 'Is this how I want to be or is this not how I want to be?'" said Ury, one of the facilitators.Sign up here to get the briefing by email.Previously, she was a reporter on the Food desk and a member of the first class of The New York Times fellows.During the pandemic, those lessons feel even more critical."But at the same time, it's a crucial part of our lived reality right now. If you're trying to live a good life, you're trying to live a good life in whatever situation you find yourself in.""There's a lot of waiting in this pandemic," he explained."That perhaps you can still live a good life, even in the restricting conditions that we're in right now.""At this time when everything comes into question, it's nice to have a class like this that facilitates your own personal development."But, for obvious reasons, this year is fraught.More about Adam PasickSome classes meet in person, and many students live on campus.And families across the country told us how they're planning to celebrate while staying safe.