Irene Rotondo
@irenerrotondo
As life floods back to the Springfield College campus, there is no denying that everyone is thinking about the extra steps they need to take to ensure their own health and safety due to COVID-19.
Proper measures have already been taken by the school, such as deep cleaning buildings and creating zero-tolerance policies, but students are left wondering what they can do to make sure they get to stay on campus for the entirety of the semester.
Christine Johnston, Assistant Director of Campus Recreation, Alcohol & Other Drug Education and Health Promotion at Springfield, recommended a few essentials that students may want to have in their dorm rooms.
“We’re asking all students to bring a supply of face coverings and masks… you’re going to be wearing one all day, every day, and personally I recommend a week’s supply of masks,” said Johnston.
“Students should be prepared to bring a thermometer to campus this year to really tell if they have a temperature… I personally think it’s a good idea to bring a few extra cleaning supplies this year for your personal space and to wipe down things like your phone, doorknob, and things like that on a regular basis,” she added.
Besides what to bring to campus, the real question bearing down on all students’ minds is when will they be able to see their friends or even how making new friends will change.
Springfield College, as stated in emails sent to the campus community, will not be allowing students to have more than one guest from campus in their dorms at a time in order to maintain six-feet-apart social distancing protocol.
“We’re going to encourage socializing outdoors, spending as much time outdoors as we possibly can, especially while the weather is nice, to really just reduce risk,” stated Johnston. “Being outside is a much safer environment than putting a bunch of people in a tiny little dorm room.”
Though students will be allowed to leave campus for everyday essentials, such as going to the grocery store or a trip to the gas station, they are expected to follow Springfield College’s guidelines on and off campus.
This especially means no large off campus parties in order to ensure everyone can actually stay on campus this semester.
The Springfield College community is composed of people who all share similar mentalities, interests, and in this case, a common goal: getting through it.
This pandemic knows no race, religion, age, or otherwise, and everyone who has made the decision to return to campus needs to do their part in keeping themselves and their peers safe.
Photo: Danny Priest/The Student