Stony Brook University hasn't been kidding around about coronavirus. Residential students like myself are required to get a coronavirus test once a week. This is Stony Brook's way of monitoring any outbreaks and identifying any contacts. As annoying as this process can be, we know procedures such as these are necessary if we want to be back on campus.
Since the beginning of the campus, Stony Brook University has been very strict with its covid-related polices. Before we could even move in, we had to produce a negative PCR test within two weeks of our move-in date. Any student from a state on Governor Cuomo's travel advisory list or from outside the United States was required to complete a fourteen-day quarantine off campus before moving in to their assigned living space. Everyone was assigned a move-in time so that there wouldn't be crowds of people moving in at once. As early as the week before classes, students were being removed from their housing assignments for not following social distancing guidelines.
Every possible seat on campus is marked with either a red "X" or green dot. The former indicates the given seat shouldn't be used, the latter means it's okay to sit. Such is to enforce social distancing in community spaces. Also, when I say every possible seat on campus, I mean every possible seat on campus: public benches, bus stops, lecture halls, dining areas, just to name a few.
As one would expect, a lot of students who normally live on campus opted to learn from home. Some for financial reasons, others because all of their classes were online, and some who just didn't want to deal with all of the pandemic craziness. My own building currently only has about 90 students, less than a third of our normal capacity. Community engagement is waning. You must wear a mask any time you are outside your room. For me, since I live in corridor-style housing, that includes when I use the communal bathrooms.
I understand why all of these rules are in place, and I do not disagree with any of them. I understand that if we want to continue living on campus safely, this is what we have to do. These restrictions are proving fruitful, as our student covid-infection rate has maintained at under one percent, but they come at the cost of a fulfilling school semester. I can't see spring semester being any different, so I can only hope we have a vaccine in time for next fall.
