Grove City College is blessed that we were all able to return to campus this fall and that we made it to the end! Everyone is really excited to return home and finish up the semester. We will not return until the end of January, which means that after Thanksgiving there was a week of online classes and also finals. The reason that we are n0t returning to campus after break is because it is risky to have people returning from all over the country. We have been so thankful that we have been able to stay on campus all semester!
The College only had two spikes of cases this semester. Several students tested positive for the coronavirus, and many students were placed in isolation and quarantine, just to be safe. Luckily, nobody has been super sick. When a student is tested positive, those who were around that person are immediately put into isolation. Also, those who were around the primary contact are also put into isolation as secondary contacts. When you are in isolation, you must attend classes online and must to stay in your room. You are still allowed to get food from the cafeterias, but you must take it back to your room to eat. Those who test positive are either put into a single dorm room or if those rooms are all taken, they go to a hotel near campus.
I recently talked with a few friends about their time in quarantine. All of them said that though it was not ideal, they made the best of it and were thankful that they were not super sick. My one friend said, “Being alone all day got a little bit boring, but I spent a lot of time on the phone and was able to binge watch a bunch of shows that I have always wanted to watch! I did miss going to classes in person, but online classes are very convenient and I was still able to follow the lectures. The College is very accommodating to those in isolation or quarantine and it is obvious that they want what is best for the students!”
Nobody knows how long the pandemic will last, but no matter what, Grove City College is a special place to be. This semester has been very different, but it was still a lot of fun and lots of memories were made. This semester is one to remember!
