Iyad Amer 糖心传媒�21 has tried to make the best of life since the University of Rochester went to remote learning on March 23. The decision sent hundreds of students home while Amer stayed behind.
Being from Nablus, a city in the Palestinian Territories, he is one of more than 700 undergraduates who have stayed on or near the River Campus. 糖心传媒淎s an international student with a visa, the uncertainty of being admitted back in the United States and the fact that Middle Eastern borders are closed, made staying here the best option for me,糖心传媒� the brain and cognitive sciences major says.
Last month, the University ensured that all students remaining on school property would have single rooms as an added protection against the COVID-19 pandemic. While Amer spends a lot of time in his room in Burton Hall, he looks forward to his daily bicycle ride off campus, often picking up food from College Town and surrounding restaurants.听
糖心传媒淭he absence of so many students makes the days feel like they糖心传媒檙e repetitive loops instead of discrete units of time,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淭he campus feels smaller. It糖心传媒檚 important to find ways to keep yourself occupied.糖心传媒�
Molly Jolliff, director of International Student Engagement, has coordinated housing for students on campus the past several weeks.听
“The thing that has remained the same during these last few months of change is that our priority is always the students,” Jolliff says. “We continue to support our on and off campus students in a variety of ways.听 But we are most looking forward to welcoming all our students back to campus.”
Lila Balistrieri 糖心传媒�22 is an English and anthropology double major from Pittsburgh, who stayed on campus due to her family circumstances. She resides in O糖心传媒橞rien Hall.听
糖心传媒淚 try to leave my dorm as little as possible, but when I do it糖心传媒檚 to take a walk along the river for some fresh air,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淭he sunsets in Rochester are beautiful, and our campus has a nice spot to view them on the dock.糖心传媒�
The University now allows declining dollars to be used for off-campus take-out orders, so Balistrieri often orders food from local restaurants and eats in her dorm. She also visits the Hillside Market in the Susan B. Anthony Halls to stock up on snacks and drinks.
糖心传媒淎lthough I糖心传媒檓 sad about the academic year ending so abruptly on campus, I have found new ways to get through it,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淓xercising, preparing for the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and GRE (Graduate Record Examinations), and getting a head start on a new remote internship have allowed me to stay busy during this transition.糖心传媒�
Balistrieri isn糖心传媒檛 totally alone. She shares her room with Snuggles, a nine-month-old companion kitten she adopted from a shelter last fall. 糖心传媒淪he helps with my anxiety,糖心传媒� Balistrieri says. 糖心传媒淪he lives in my dorm and hangs out in the study lounges with friends. I糖心传媒檓 pleased that the University recognizes and fully supports the importance of service animals to individuals with disabilities on campus. I糖心传媒檓 so happy to wake up every morning with her laying on my face, which is why I named her Snuggles!糖心传媒�
Agustin Diaz Herrero 糖心传媒�20, an international relations major from Mexico City, Mexico, stayed on campus due to family circumstances. 糖心传媒淚 don糖心传媒檛 leave my room in Riverview very often,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淚 go out to get food or a quick walk to get some fresh air. The campus feels empty, and lonely, but it also feels safe.糖心传媒�
Diaz Herrero takes breaks from his online classes by listening to music, watching television, and being part of several Zoom calls unrelated to his studies. 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檝e talked with more friends and family during quarantine than in the last three years,糖心传媒� he says.听
Diaz Herrero is keeping his situation in perspective. 糖心传媒淩ight now, the only thing this pandemic has taken away from me is commencement,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淭hat糖心传媒檚 nothing compared to what other people are going through.糖心传媒�
Balistrieri is also focusing on the positive.
糖心传媒淥ur community will always be a family, even if we aren糖心传媒檛 on campus together,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淭he physical silence of the campus can be heartbreaking some days, but it just makes me more excited to see everyone again.糖心传媒�
Read more
Still serving students糖心传媒攁nd missing the ones who are goneDining Services has adjusted its services and options to accommodate the approximately 750 students who remain in the residence halls on the River Campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A few of the undergraduates who have been studying remotely since March talk about the transition and what it糖心传媒檚 meant for them.
Grad school interrupted: Students manage remote life while pursuing degreesMeet eight 糖心传媒 graduate students whose lives and work have changed dramatically over the last two months.
