Students continue to move out of their dorm rooms and on-campus apartments
following Asbury University’s decision to move all classes to an online format in the
wake of COVID-19.
Students have been given two windows to return to campus to retrieve their belongings
after an abrupt end to in-seat classes. The first window began March 27 and ended April 5. The second begins May 1 and ends May 9.
According to Student Development, the decision to move students out of their dorms
wasn’t easy, but it was a necessary step in making the transition.
“I felt as though it was important for students to pick up their stuff as soon as possible if
it would work with federal and state health guidelines,” said Dean of Students Dr. Sarah
Baldwin. “Many students really want to close the loop on getting their belongings home
so that they can focus on the semester and getting back into classes.”
Moving students out of their dorms during a pandemic also required adherence to
special health guidelines as outlined by federal and state health departments.
“We gave attention to the executive orders of the Governor, the Governor’s
recommendations, federal guidelines, and the CDC,” said Baldwin. “We had to make
sure that only ten students were in the building at one time — with one or two helpers —
and signs were up indicating no socializing/congregating and that there were hand
sanitizers available.”
Students are required to thoroughly sanitize their living spaces after moving out, use
plastic gloves and a Clorox-based cleaner and dispose of all garbage items immediately
after. For safety reasons, the moving out process is being conducted without the presence
of residence directors or residence assistants.
While the process itself is a daunting task, the transition from in-seat classes to online
classes is not just a physical transition from the residence hall back to childhood homes.
For some seniors, the move-out process feels especially poignant.
“The reality of the situation didn’t seem to hit me until online classes started on March
30,” said senior Taryne Wenger. “Motivation was hard to find and my drive to get
anything done was lacking. There were a lot, a lot of tears as I was missing school and
especially missing my Howell B. Baddies!”
The abrupt end to the social aspect of the semester was not lost on other classes either.
“It was super sad to have to move out early and say goodbye to the seniors so abruptly,
I really wish it didn’t have to happen that way,” said junior Kendall Leander. “But I also
realize the school didn’t really have much of a choice, and it was the safest thing to do
for everyone.”
While platforms such as Zoom, Skype and FaceTime exist, Asbury’s unique campus life
cannot be replicated from afar.
“I still find myself missing random Asbury things,” said Wenger. “From chapels, to my
lovely smokestack sighting every morning, to working out in the Luce, to the Caf (who
would have thought?) to my little interlibrary loans job, to Hiccup drinks, to getting CPO
mail, to my professors, to hanging out in the Stuce — I miss it all!”