Students continue to adjust to life within the walls of hotel rooms. On Feb. 4, 2021 at 1:42 p.m., Shannon Dycus from Student Life emailed the student body to tell them that quarantine periods were extended from 10 days to 14 days. “I’ve been [in quarantine] since Jan. 29, and I was supposed to be here until the 17th. But now, they extended it until Friday the 12th,” said fourth-year Collin Jones.
EMU has been housing residential students who have been exposed to COVID-19 in a nearby hotel. “We have anywhere from just a few students at the hotel to over 30 at a time this semester. The number is constantly changing,” said Assistant Athletics Director and COVID-19 Logistics Coordinator Carrie Bert. Many more students moved into a solitary hotel room after positive COVID-19 tests rose to 54 on Feb. 5, 2021.
Students shared what they plan to do when they exit quarantine. Food was a common theme in their responses. “I want to get coffee and food,” second-year May Wadman said.
Second-year Jordan Jones confessed, “The first thing I am going to do is go to Starbucks and get myself a venti Iced Caramel Macchiato!”
Third-year Hannah York stated that she plans on, “getting Chinese food at the mall.”
Other students plan to do things they took for granted before quarantine. “The first thing I will do is laundry because it’s been over two weeks! Then, I will water my plants and bake an apple crisp with all of the apples I have acquired from food deliveries,” said third-year Andrea Troyer.
Second-year Keely Mitchell said she will, “go for a drive and then hang out with all [her] friends.”
Fourth-year Noah Sargent stated, “I am going to clear the foot of snow off of my car and enjoy the fresh air and freedom.”
Being identified in the COVID-19 contact tracing and coming to the hotel was quick and efficient for Collin Jones. “I had an internship meeting 30 minutes from when my roommate called the hotline. From that point, we were told to pack everything that we needed for the next ten days and that they would be by to pick us up in about an hour,” Jones recalled.
Without the ability to leave their hotel rooms aside from one optional 30 minute walk outside with a mask on per day, students fell into new routines. “I would wake up, and then sometimes I would workout. Then, [I] start school work. I would pretty much work on school work all day and take breaks and watch Netflix,” Jordan Jones said. Students reported a range of emotions while in quarantine. “Honestly, [I’ve felt] very lonely. Yes, it was such a nice hotel to stay at, and I am very thankful for EMU letting us stay there. But not being able to interact with other people is very sad. I was mentally drained after the third day.”
Collin Jones stated, “I’m an extroverted guy; I love talking to people. So, this having to stay more to myself is a change for me.”
Director of Counseling Allison Collazo explained that, “a team called ‘COVID Wellbeing,’” calls students to check in on them.
EMU supplied students with three meals per day. “Bruce, Shannon, Darren, and their staff in the cafeteria have been so helpful and willing to make sure students get things that work for them,” said Bert. Bert continued, “We are also supporting students by providing laundry services or supplies, the delivery of mail, medicine, personal supplies, technology hardware, musical instruments, and much more.”
Updates for students residing at the hotel come via phone call from the EMU COVID-19 Hotline. Bert explains, “The COVID Hotline spends time with the student discussing what move is happening and why, as well as alerting them to future contact by the health guide for transport.”
Jordan Jones recalls, “They would call like every other day to check in and see how I was doing and if I had any symptoms.”
