It is clear plans have gone awry and chaos on the campus and surrounding community is in the air. Pointing to an additional Peer Review articleon IBIS world news the educational sector of our country is not the only sector being impacted.
When Molly Bocock was asked if she was concerned about the spread of coronavirus at DU (where there have been no confirmed cases) she stated, “frankly I am not concerned and I don’t want to prematurely worry. I am more worried about getting the seasonal flu at this point.”
While Bocock appeared rather relaxed many other students feel differently. Junior Zora Opalka, who has family in Seattle, which has been the first to see the strength of this virus said,
“I am extremely worried I talk to my family every day and now my father has been ordered to work remotely. It is bad. Its only a matter of time but corona will come here I am sure of it.”
Another aspect of this disease that DU students find themselves having to face pertains to students currently studying abroad. DU’s abroad office issued a statement canceling all essential international travel however, when news hit of DU canceling classes and transitioning online for finals many students abroad were panicked.
Allie Grow was in Rome when news broke and she immediately booked a flight home. “I had talked to DU and my family and decided coming home as early as I did was smart.”
And now once back on DU’s campus the question for many students’ remains, “should I stay or should I go?”
For many DU students this decision does not come lightly. Students have to think about whom they will be affecting when they go home if they will be around people who are more susceptible to contracting the disease etc.
According to CDOT, the president’s current Coronavirus guideline for America is to avoid social gatherings of more than ten people.
Michela Colavita has ruled out going home saying,
“my family knows the severity of this diseases and each day it seems more and more people are dying and getting sick. I honestly I am scared to go home because my grandma lives with us and I know if she got the disease things would not look good for her. So I am staying here. self-quarantining myself.
Anna Foley was in agreement with her roommate’s judgment,
“I also don’t want to expose my family if I go home. I am lucky enough to have the option to stay and have paid my rent so I just stocked up on groceries and we will see what happens next.”
The common theme, the students that are left around DU’s campus as finals commence are all preparing for a pandemic. As the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus rise across the US this is a similar pattern students are facing at their academic institution as well. Social distancing is here to stay and should be taken very seriously.
During this unprecedented time not only are students lives turned upside down but professors and leaders of du alike. With good intent and reassurance, Chancellor Jeremy Haefner shared an email to the community uplifting and thanking scholars that,
“I want to thank you again for heeding each important administrative message, and for complying so diligently and flexibly, even as we deal with so many unknown factors. From the emails I am receiving, I can see that we—as individuals and as an institution—are continuing to display the strength of character that defines us as OneDU.”
An important message during tough times, we are all in this together.
Academic online curriculum is something DU has confirmed will be implemented coming spring quarter. We will be learning outside the classroom, remotely. This will also be a major adjustment for both professors and students alike.
Student Anna Foley was apprehensive about this decision saying, “ I pay to go to school here and be taught in person and I am not sure an online makeshift curriculum will be sufficient especially since it will be a new format for many teachers we as students will definitely be the Guinea pigs. I just hope we get a sufficient learning experience.”
Transitioning online will be a process and the Chancellor Haefnerhas recognized this and asked for patients. There also will be other factors for students such as time change, Internet access etc.
While Millennials have had to navigate where to live and the current cancellations of class they also are being targeted by adults in the community. According to a peer reviewed article published in Access World News Database ( Peer Reviewed article) the title says it all, ‘”youth warned against ‘fever dream’ of coronavirus invincibility.
In fact many students don’t hold the notion they are invincible. When student Alex Kill was asked his view of the disease and ongoing university policies he states,
‘These policies are all in regards to keep the most vulnerable in our communities safe so I think the understanding from us students is we are behind that notion. We are all young and for the most part healthy so it is not out of us these policies are being enacted but rather for the larger community.”
It is important to remember when communities are at risk the most vulnerable are the ones that are at center stage which are people with pre-existing heath issues, elderly, young etc. However, Millennial are being criticized during this pandemic that they are the ones who are not taking this seriously.
When asked how Kylie Cronin felt about this millennial notion of arrogance and general unconcern she said,
“I don’t like the categorization of our generation being irresponsible and not caring because that is simply not true. Everyone my age I know is educated and staying up to date and we are all concerned. We get it and just because we are young does not mean we don’t want to do everything possible to help stop the spread of the virus. This virus while it might not directly affect us will affect our aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents etc. and saying that we don’t get it is a slap in the face.”
In the end, this crisis will be handed person to person on a minute-to-minute basis. There will be and is no end insight so with the words of Chancellor Haefner,
“Maintaining our sense of community is especially important right now, as we adjust to social distancing and spending more time by ourselves. I urge you to reach out to friends, whether by phone or email or at a safe physical distance, and to remember that DU is a compassionate and caring place, and that we all continue to be an important part of it.”
Sources used:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmission.html
https://www.brainson.org/shows/2020/03/10/understanding-coronavirus-and-how-germs-spread-for-kids
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256521
The MFJS Reporter -- Winter 2020 T-R 