Around late July, I discovered all of my lectures and discussions had been moved online. Very few in-person classes are still being offered at my university and on-campus housing remains open. At the time, my close friend and roommate was considering a gap year and dropping her end of our housing arrangement. I was stuck with two possibilities---stay home for an indefinite amount of time and do online classes or complete online classes from my dorm. The idea of being stuck in a dorm room alone with hardly any personal contact terrified me. I don't do well in isolation---and while I'm not going to disobey social distancing guidelines, it's best that I don't live alone for the sake of my mental health.

Leading up to college, I knew I wanted to move out-of-state. I finally had (almost) a year away from home before the pandemic struck. Not to take away from the major concerns happening around the nation, but it was heartbreaking to me to think I could spend the rest of my undergrad years doing college online from the state I so desperately sought to leave.

For now, I don't have too many concerns regarding COVID-19 on campus. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has done a remarkable job testing students and tracking cases, so I don't think we will be blindsided by potential outbreaks. If I contract the virus, it won't impact my class schedule since I'm already online. I'll simply be moved to a quarantine room elsewhere until I test negative. My biggest concern being on campus is unknowingly exposing my roommate, a higher-risk student. With that said, I'm not partying, congregating, or removing my mask in public. Just because I've been numbed to my initial fear of the pandemic doesn't mean I've become irresponsible.

Our campus is noticeably emptier than before. Students cluster in small groups on the main quad and picnic on the grass, but other than that traffic is low, streets are empty, and dorms are at limited occupancy. All students and staff participating in any on-campus activities are tested twice a week. The saliva-based test is quick, easy, and so far results have come back in a timely manner.

I have yet to be directly exposed to someone with the virus, but I've heard from classmates who've had COVID-19 and reported being asymptomatic. Seeing the numbers rise in my own community reminded me that the pandemic is far from over and no amount of wanting things to return to "normal" will erase the truth.

There is a sign on the first floor of my dorm that reads "Do Not Enter: Assigned Residents and Housing Staff Only". It was speculated before that the ground floor was going to be used as a quarantine hall, but it's not clear if anyone is currently being kept there. Other dorms have multiple floors devoted to isolation and quarantine rooms. My fear is we will reach capacity before our "in-person" semester ends and they will send us home with little notice.

I know not everyone has the choice or financial means to move out of home during this time, so I do want to add I'm grateful to be living in my dorm now, even though I technically don't need to be. It was a difficult decision to make, but ultimately I decided I focus better on-campus, and if the rest of my years end up being online, I don't know if I'll return to the state, so I want to make the most of what I have before things change again.