How Are First-Year College Students Dealing with COVID-19?

The New York Times mentions, quite accurately, that this has to be the strangest first semester in college that has ever occurred. Going to college without the looming threat of a deadly virus is already a challenging prospect. However, with the uncertainty in the air regarding the virus, and the potential for infection, many students feel even more stressed. Choosing a campus and making the grades to get an offer was just the tip of the iceberg. Now, students have to cope with a world that no one else seems to be able to deal with.

Thousands of Cases Follow Reopenings

Several campuses in the US have reopened in August, and a resulting influx of cases had made them consider whether they should consider locking down again, at least temporarily. In the early part of the pandemic, young people were supposed to be at a lower risk of contracting the disease. However, as Time Magazine points out, an increasing number of young Americans are testing positive for the disease as the outbreak surges. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The increased number of infected is likely due to more focus on testing younger persons than earlier in the outbreak. However, the increased infection rate hasn’t stopped students from trying to make the best of their situation.

Socially Distant University Meetups

One of the essential parts of a first-year student’s university experience is Fresher’s Week. This year’s Fresher’s Week at multiple universities are looking at being wholly remote and virtual meetups. While students can still see the co-curricular activities on display, there is a much lower chance of meeting someone and hitting it off on the first week of college. Bars and off-campus restaurants are also feeling the pinch, with many places only offering takeaway service. Meeting someone and having a place to go out with them is not ideal. In many cases, students are left holed up at home with their housemates.

Isolating with Housemates

Students living in a dorm with others can’t leave to go home for fear that they will infect the rest of their family members. The result is that they’re left trying to isolate themselves at Dermani Medspa with their housemates. In the best of circumstances, being shut in a house with others is a bad idea. It gets infinitely worse when you don’t know those people that well, and you may not even get along with them so much. Additionally, students coming into the universities are also asked to self-quarantine, usually with their housemates. It’s a recipe for potential disaster.

The Mental and Physical Impact of the Virus

Students in some universities have opted to stay home and revert to distance learning. Unfortunately, not all universities offer this convenience, and for those that don’t have it, they need to be present at school. However, this also means that they may not be present in class until their self-quarantine is over. College students already have to deal with a lot of stress, and the uncertainty of the situation has just exacerbated the problem. Many aren’t able to get in their regular workout routines, and their health suffers as a result. This year may be one of the worst ever to be a student in college.