Carleton University’s residence buildings have remained open despite the school’s decision to move all classes online due to COVID-19.
While students don’t have to move out until April 26, residents who moved out before 4:00 pm on March 22 will be provided a pro-rated refund for residence and meal plan costs, according to the school’s website.
“I didn’t want to go home yet,” said John Adeoye, a second-year law student from Milton, Ont. “I wanted to stay in school and finish the semester and then go back home and relax.”
Adeoye said he originally planned on staying in residence until the end of the semester but decided to go home early to receive his refund. Adeoye added most students opted to go home, leaving the residences mostly empty.
“It felt a lot weirder because the tunnels were so empty, it just didn’t feel like school anymore,” he added.
Living in close quarters with other students poses a difficulty for those wanting to practice social distancing, recommended by Ottawa Public Health in order to decrease the chances of spreading the virus.
“Res is different from being home because you have a roommate, so you can’t really distance yourself away from the person living next to you.” — John Adeoye, second-year law student
Although social distancing wasn’t easy, Adeoye said he wasn’t that worried.
“Everyone was in their own room. It’s not that hard, if you stay in your room you should be pretty safe.”
Concerns around spreading the virus was also a factor for students choosing to stay in residence past the suggested move out date.
“I’m staying away from my mom, to just make zero chance that I accidentally get her sick,” said Connor McNair, a second-year journalism student.
McNair said he opted out of going home to Kemptville, Ont., out of safety concerns for his mother, whose past medical history puts her in a “very, very high-risk factor.”
According to Ottawa Public Health, individuals who are over the age of 65, have compromised immune symptoms, or underlying medical conditions are at an increased risk of contracting the virus.
“I kind of want to stay away from her as long as I can. I’m not taking no chances,” he said, adding his family is unsupportive of his decision and wants him to come home.
McNair’s parents aren’t the only ones worried. On the days following the school’s announcement to move classes online, McNair said campus was flooded with parents.
“As soon as they announced online classes, like the first day, it was like they’re loading up Noah’s Ark.” — Connor McNair, second-year journalism student
“There’s just cars everywhere, parents everywhere, people panicking, parents overreacting. It was just mass exodus every day,” he added.
While things have now quieted down, McNair said he’s still getting used to the emptiness on campus.
“It’s just weirdly quiet,” he said, adding the overall uncertainty is also unsettling.
“There’s a little bit of worry, just because there’s kind of a date that I have to be out of here, but there’s not a date for when this stuff is going to blow over,” he said.
“Everything is up in the air except for the time I have to get out, which is a little stressful.”
While domestic students have been able to choose between staying in residence or going home, not all international students have that option, said Anirudh Medapati, a first-year psychology student.
Medapati said when he first heard classes were moved online, he didn’t think he would be able to go back home to India.
“I was like, there’s no way I can go back so I’m going to stay, and then all my friends started to go, and then I started to panic,” he recalled.
“My parents were scared that I might get infected when I’m travelling, so they were like, travel’s risky, it’s better to stay there,” Medapati said, adding the decision to stay in Ottawa has been difficult for his family.
“It was pretty hard for them because if I go back, I would be quarantined for 14 days in India, but if I stay here, I’ll be far from them. So it’s like a bad situation in both the ways.” — Anirudh Medapati, first-year psychology student
International students have an added stress of being away from home, Medapati said.
“It’s confusing times for everyone. With all the stuff that’s going on, we’re all stressed, and I have assignments and as a student, I feel like I’m slacking behind,” he said.
“I feel pretty disoriented. I don’t know what’s going to happen, so I’m just going to take one day at a time.”
Featured image by Timothy Austen.
