By Lauren Peters
Author Lauren Peters pictured above.
The year 2020 has brought numerous firsts for almost everyone. Before this year I had never lived through a pandemic, never been quarantined with my roommates, and never feared going back to college due to my health.
After making the decision to return to school to be with my roommates, we were immediately hit with boredom since all our classes were online.
“I have no social life anymore. I used to get coffee on campus and be able to meet new people in dining halls," says Virginia Tech junior Vivian Nguyen. "Now I’m lucky if I see a single person that I don’t live with.”
With all of our extra hours from not having on-campus classes, we had all decided to take up crafting as a way to fill our time and keep up our mental health. As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, being isolated with nothing to do was detrimental to my health.
Crafting was something that was cheap and fun to do and would also help connect me with my friends. Together as a household, we decided to make blankets, dog beds, and even paper cranes, to donate to local charity groups, such as the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, the Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry, and even the New River Valley Hospital, which had been struggling during the quarantine.
Even though we had projects to help pass the time of day and keep up our mental health, we could not ignore the ever-increasing cases of Covid-19 that were happening on the Virginia Tech campus.
“I haven’t been able to see my parents since I moved back to college,” says Virginia Tech senior Riley Alvis. “My parents are immunocompromised so with the skyrocketing cases I can’t go home unless I get tested and self isolate for two weeks. It’s the right thing to do but I miss them” she says.
Friends and family who went to nearby colleges also reported an increasing number of cases that, at its peak, nearly doubled in a single week. Below are four Virginia colleges and their cumulative Covid-19 cases since students first moved in on August 1st.
The state of Virginia's Covid-19 case count can be found here. With over 5,000 students catching Covid-19, students have had to adjust to a "new normal". Licensed therapist Dr. Lindgren, has been working in Blacksburg for over 15 years. In an interview, she touches on how more people, including students, are experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety as a result of quarantining and self-isolating.
Students who are having trouble coping with the stress of college and quarantining can find help through the Virginia Tech Cook Counseling Center.
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