Ok, so after installing ubuntu-desktop and reinstalling ubuntu-desktop the desktop hasn’t changed.
Ctrl+alt+T brings up the familiar terminal now though, and I can open a nautilus window by typing “nautilus.”
“echo $DESKTOP_SESSION” returns “xfce.” I’m logging into this machine remotely. Since I’m remote, I don’t think I can log out and still be “connected” to change the DE. Is there another way to change it?
If I connect a screen to the machine the desktop doesn’t load, I had to change a setting (of which I can’t remember, for a reason I can’t remember - something to do with optimizing the machine for remote desktop) and now the desktop only renders on the remote session.