Processing Villanova's Campus Shutdown
By Fifi Fraga
On Monday, we all came back from spring break trips, excited to see our friends again. But now, everything we were looking forward to was suddenly put on hold. COVID-19 seems to be affecting us all. It’s affecting those who are sick, the families of people who have died, and has led to the shutdown of schools, sports, and public events. Because everything has happened so quickly, it can be difficult to process.
As Villanova students, how can we make the most of the rest of our year? How can we look past the negative media coverage? It can be hard to see the positive side of the situation, especially as a senior. Everything is cancelled: campus events, sports, formals, and more. It can feel selfish to worry about these things, but it’s only natural to reflect on how this situation is affecting our lives. I am reflecting on how much I’ll miss the things I took for granted, like walking to class each day. I wish we would have known that the last times we went to a basketball game or to a formal were truly our last. Maybe we would have appreciated it just that much more.
Walking through the quad and seeing all the sophomores moving out in the middle of March made it all feel so real. To my fellow seniors, I know we all feel that the last few months of college were ripped right out of our hands. It’s not fair. But we are all sharing this experience together, and so we can be there for each other.
To the underclassmen at Villanova, don’t take anything for granted when college life returns back to normal. Appreciate your friends, the campus environment, and your college experience. Attend basketball games and campus events — don’t miss a single thing. You will wish you did so later. I was prepared for my life to seriously change after graduation in May, but now it’s happening sooner than we all expected. Remember to take advantage of everything Villanova offers to you during your time on campus, because you truly don’t know what the future holds.
On a lighter note, don’t let this situation overwhelm you. We have to keep our heads up and not be afraid to live our lives. Of course, maintain precaution and good hygiene. Stay clean and be smart. But don’t hide away. Make plans with your friends, distract yourself, and do what you have to do to stay happy. Don’t let this situation get the better of you. We need to keep each other hopeful that this will all be over sooner rather than later. Maybe we’ll have our regular lives back (even just for a little) before the semester comes to an end.
