SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)- Plans change. Syracuse University freshman Juanitta Bekoe’s freshman year started differently than what her friends told her.
Bekoe was one of the estimated 400 freshman and incoming transfer students on New York’s travel advisory list who moved in Sunday, Aug. 2, to start SU’s mandatory 14-day quarantine.
The freshman had to present a negative COVID-19 test from her state, Arizona, and take another COVID test administered by SU staff before moving into her dorm room. Afterwards, she and her mother moved in her things. The Arizona native was only allowed to have one other person help her move in within a two-hour time limit.
She was also given a COVID care pack by the university, which included a digital thermometer, hand sanitizer, masks, a touch tool that allows her to avoid touching buttons and opening doors and a chart that details COVID symptoms and emergency contact information.
“We’ve just been very limited to what we’ve been able to do to move around and things like that,” Bekoe said.
Bekoe was assigned a pod group, which is a group of students on her floor she can safely interact with. She has a set time to go outside to walk around and grab meals from the lounge in her building. The freshman also talks to friends and family and gives them virtual tours of her room.
“I do think this is quite a unique experience,” Bekoe said.
Zoe Selesi was disappointed when the Syracuse University Abroad program cancelled her fall South Korea program June 22. She had already made plans to sightsee and spend time with friends and her cousin who lives there.
The magazine journalism student was able to secure a resident advisor position soon after. Resident advisors who live in a hot spot state were encouraged to move back to Syracuse Aug. 1 to quarantine.
As a returning resident advisor, she wasn’t required to do a 14-day mandatory quarantine in one location if she tested negative for COVID while in Syracuse. The California native started her quarantine at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel while she waited for her results.
“Every single day kind of looked the same,” Selesi said.
She rested, talked to friends and family and watched TV. On Monday, Aug. 3, she began working remotely for her jobs and was able to move into her dorm room Tuesday, Aug. 4, after her COVID test returned negative.
Selesi wasn’t able to leave her room during her time at Sheraton but is now allowed to safely go outside to walk and run errands.
In these unprecedented times, Bekoe believes it’s important to take care of yourself and each other and to wear a mask.
