The Fall 2020 semester has been unlike any we have ever experienced. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Andrews community has had to readjust how we participate in classes, social gatherings, and dorm life. However, due to the diligence of students and staff, Andrews has been able to remain open for in-person classes. Throughout the course of the semester Andrews has had a total of 44 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Those individuals were placed in quarantine and careful contact tracing allowed for individuals who were in contact to be tested and quarantined if necessary. As we come to the end of the semester, students are reflecting on their experiences throughout this unique semester.
Many students felt that Andrews did an excellent job in maintaining a safe environment for students to attend classes through the semester. Emma VanderWaal (sophomore, social work) explained, “I think Andrews has handled COVID-19 as well as possible this semester. Considering we are having class in person, they have done everything they can to protect us.” Jarred Pullen (junior, speech pathology) stated, “I appreciate the regular cleaning of common surfaces by the janitorial staff. They should receive a medal for their hard work.”
Our ability to remain on campus for in-person classes could not have happened without the dedicated team of Andrews staff who ensured our safety throughout the semester. Specific departments, such as the Department of Aviation, took even more precautions to ensure the safety of students in their department. Emily Hicks (freshmen, aviation) expressed her gratitude, “I really appreciate how the department scheduled frequent testing for aviation students. Our close interaction with each other made us more at risk, however, they made flying this semester feel safe.” The consistent mask wearing, spraying down of areas after use, social distancing, use of the Campus Clear app and contact tracing ensured that individuals could continue in learning and furthering their education in an on-campus experience this semester.
However, while many positive things contributed to the safety of students on campus, students also felt that certain areas could be handled better in the future. Many students expressed concerns with the way scheduling has impacted their mental health. As a result of eliminating breaks throughout the semester, many students have felt overwhelmed. Ms. Van derWaal stated, “I think the only thing Andrews has done poorly is not provide students with any breaks. As a result, I think we are all struggling with our mental health this semester.”
Other students also spoke about other concerns they had throughout the semester. Regan Hicks (freshman, sociology) explained, “During softball intramurals, girls were asked to share baseball mitts and other equipment during games. This seemed very unsafe and contradicted many of the other rules and precautions on campus.” Additionally, Mr. Pullen expressed his concerns with incessant quarantining: “Many students were placed in quarantine after contact tracing; however, even when they tested negative they were still forced to remain in quarantine. This seemed a bit extreme and made it difficult for certain students to work on group projects and take tests.” While we were successful in remaining open for the duration of the semester, there still appears to be work and adjustments that needed in order to make the campus an even safer environment.
During the semester, a small group of students experienced quarantine as a result of testing positive for COVID-19. Ms. VanderWaal explained her experience, saying, “My quarantine experience went pretty smoothly overall. I quarantined a total of 12 days. Initially, I was quarantined in Lamson Hall, but when I tested positive I was moved to the Advent Prayer Center, which was just like a hotel room. They also asked me who I was in contact with in the past 48 hours in order to contact trace. The cafeteria delivered my meals each day. Emotionally, it was difficult because I was lonely. Thankfully, the deans were checking in with me every day to make sure I was doing okay and had everything I needed. In addition, I talked to my friends and family constantly for support. I was also able to take a walk behind the Advent Prayer Center every day if I chose to do so, which helped my mental health.”
Throughout the semester students have taken their own safety precautions on top of University guidelines to ensure their own safety and the safety of those around them. Mr. Pullen explained, “I have tried to eat healthy, drink lots of water, and keep my immune system up throughout the semester. God created our bodies to fight off sickness and taking care of them is probably our strongest defense against COVID-19.” Additionally, Ms. VanderWaal stated, “I kept my social circle really small this semester, less than 2-3 people at a time. Luckily, this paid off because no one who I interacted with caught the virus, not even my roommate!” Therefore, it continues to be both the job of the University and students to continue to follow the guidelines and take additional personal precautions to ensure that Andrews can remain open for the rest of the semester and future semesters.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.