It has been said that “your college days are among the best of your life”. Most attribute this to the knowledge acquired, the friends you gain and events you attend along the way. But what if for some reason, movement and contact with other people became restricted to the point where attending events and meeting new people seemed nearly impossible? What if going to parties and speaking to people face to face became mortally hazardous? Unfortunately, today, this rhetorical nightmare is a reality. No, the campus is not locked down because of war, a storm, or because we as humans have suddenly forgotten how to civilly interact with one another. Campuses and businesses all over the world are all defending themselves from the same microscopic enemy; the coronavirus.
The coronavirus, which causes the Covid-19 disease, arrived in the U.S. in late 2019. By the end of March of 2020, it was declared a pandemic and a national emergency. People all over the world were reporting flu-like symptoms, testing positive for Covid-19 and in many cases died from the complications.
With Covid-19 cases rising in some areas of the country, efforts such as masks, increased sanitation, social distancing and the development of vaccines, are some of the ways people have been combating the spread of this disease. Since the disease is highly contagious, one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of the disease is to limit person-to-person contact. This means people will have to change the way they normally interact with each other.
Companies like Zoom and Amazon have made it easier for us to communicate and shop, but humans still have a need for direct physical synergy. With today’s technology, yes, it would be possible to have a party or an event online. However, remote communication still misses the mark when it comes to matching the emotions invoked when interacting with people in person.
Here at SUNY Old Westbury, the campus has implemented a 3-tiered color-coded plan that informs students of the Covid-19 restrictions on campus for the week.
According to the campus Suny Old Westbury Community Guidelines, on green weeks, when the risks are low, the campus operates under guidelines that allow up to 50% occupancy for campus events. Sporting events still take place and spectators are allowed to attend. Common areas and lounge areas are open but off-campus visitors are not allowed in the residence halls.
On yellow weeks, events are limited to 25% occupancy. Sporting events still take place, but spectators are not allowed to attend. The common and lounge areas of the residence halls are open on yellow weeks, but students can only enter buildings in-which they live.
On red weeks, when the risk is high, all campus operations move to a remote setting and there are no face to face gatherings permitted at all. The common areas and lounges of all the residence halls are closed. All events must be in virtual space and sporting events are usually suspended.
Fortunately, the first weeks of the fall semester here at Old Westbury have been green. Restrictions on campus have not been extreme. Building occupancy capacities are restricted by 25% and events to 50%. This is not bad for the time being, but increased positive test results amongst students and faculty can change the restrictions overnight. Fall has finally arrived, and according to The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), we may see about 1 million more deaths and about 2 million more infections in the United States by January 2022.
Planning an event could be difficult with this level of uncertainty. Most event planners like to have dates and access to venues set in stone. If a person cannot be sure that an event can actually take place, they could be less likely to plan one at all. Furthermore, event goers may be reluctant to rearrange their schedules for an event that could likely be cancelled. Even without the implementation of government or campus guidelines and restrictions, people are still very much concerned about their health. Many feel that going to events with large groups of people is unsafe and they are completely against the idea.
Will life on campus ever be the same again? The college experience has definitely taken a devastating hit. If only we could still “party like it’s 1999.” The campus setting was among some of the best for social interaction, but is now burdened with the heaviness of the fear of a deadly disease. Campuses all over the country might soon look like a scene from an apocalyptic movie, with few and scattered pedestrians hiding in dark private corners, from the lurking coronavirus.
We all hope for this pandemic to be over soon, so that we can go back to our normal lives. Unfortunately the end of this seems nowhere in sight. Adapting seems to be our only recourse and the days we used to know are gone for now. Say goodbye to the idea of campus life as you’ve seen it prior to 2020, and say hello to the world of remote learning and virtual parties and events.
