As I depart my South 40 dorm each day for the next four weeks before the final time I close the door, I’ll likely find myself becoming more and more reminiscent as my undergraduate years come to an end. But for now, I’ll hold off on staring longingly and romantically out onto the South 40 from a window (until the inevitable sound of a fire alarm or a shouted obscenity) and try instead to spend as much time as possible with the people for whom I will never be able to truly express the extent of my gratitude and love.

In making social movements trending topics online, we also somewhat dissociate from their reality, making the activism itself dependent on algorithms and a majority stance. But we can’t afford to repeatedly relearn everything we committed so much reeducation to in 2020.

This situation demands a more coordinated response than what the WashU administration has given thus far.

During the initial COVID shutdown and for the ensuing year, there was the never-before opportunity to physically slow down. This will sound strange, but bear with me: those months were some of the most enjoyable of my college experience.

Long COVID takes different forms in different people. As a faculty member who is only now recovering from Long COVID symptoms that I’ve had for almost a year, I can assure you that all of these forms are unpleasant.

WashU’s COVID guidelines remain unchanged from the fall semester despite an increase in COVID cases. Students have voiced a need for more guidance regarding COVID protocols and quarantining processes.

I was lucky to have gotten COVID at a time where I was able to sustain myself for several days without leaving my dorm room.

We understand that WashU, like other universities, is in a difficult spot with limited housing and uncertainty on what the future may hold. However, if the University refuses to make accommodations, the onus falls on students to make them — and it shouldn’t.

This year, the Habif Health and Wellness Center at Washington University continues to strongly recommend the booster. At the same time, Washington University is loosening COVID-19 quarantine and isolation policies. 

This semester saw the highest COVID rates on campus since the pandemic began, which led the University to put students in overflow isolation housing.