{"id":431312,"date":"2020-05-06T13:33:06","date_gmt":"2020-05-06T17:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/?p=431312"},"modified":"2020-05-06T13:33:06","modified_gmt":"2020-05-06T17:33:06","slug":"students-on-campus-find-joy-in-little-things-431312","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/students-on-campus-find-joy-in-little-things-431312\/","title":{"rendered":"Students on campus find joy in the little things"},"content":{"rendered":"

Iyad Amer \u201921 has tried to make the best of life since the University of Rochester went to remote learning on March 23. The decision sent hundreds of students home while Amer stayed behind.<\/p>\n

Being from Nablus, a city in the Palestinian Territories, he is one of more than 700 undergraduates who have stayed on or near the River Campus. \u201cAs an international student with a visa, the uncertainty of being admitted back in the United States and the fact that Middle Eastern borders are closed, made staying here the best option for me,\u201d the brain and cognitive sciences major says.<\/p>\n

Last month, the University ensured that all students remaining on school property would have single rooms as an added protection against the COVID-19 pandemic. While Amer spends a lot of time in his room in Burton Hall, he looks forward to his daily bicycle ride off campus, often picking up food from College Town and surrounding restaurants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Student
Lila Balistrieri \u201922, an English and anthropology double major from Pittsburgh, appreciates the companionship of Snuggles, a kitten she adopted last fall and maintains as a service animal. “She helps with my anxiety,” Balistrieri says.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe absence of so many students makes the days feel like they\u2019re repetitive loops instead of discrete units of time,\u201d he says. \u201cThe campus feels smaller. It\u2019s important to find ways to keep yourself occupied.\u201d<\/p>\n

Molly Jolliff, director of International Student Engagement, has coordinated housing for students on campus the past several weeks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“The thing that has remained the same during these last few months of change is that our priority is always the students,” Jolliff says. “We continue to support our on and off campus students in a variety of ways.\u00a0 But we are most looking forward to welcoming all our students back to campus.”<\/p>\n

Lila Balistrieri \u201922 is an English and anthropology double major from Pittsburgh, who stayed on campus due to her family circumstances. She resides in O\u2019Brien Hall.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI try to leave my dorm as little as possible, but when I do it\u2019s to take a walk along the river for some fresh air,\u201d she says. \u201cThe sunsets in Rochester are beautiful, and our campus has a nice spot to view them on the dock.\u201d<\/p>\n

The University now allows declining dollars to be used for off-campus take-out orders, so Balistrieri often orders food from local restaurants and eats in her dorm. She also visits the Hillside Market in the Susan B. Anthony Halls to stock up on snacks and drinks.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough I\u2019m sad about the academic year ending so abruptly on campus, I have found new ways to get through it,\u201d she says. \u201cExercising, preparing for the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and GRE (Graduate Record Examinations), and getting a head start on a new remote internship have allowed me to stay busy during this transition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Balistrieri isn\u2019t totally alone. She shares her room with Snuggles, a nine-month-old companion kitten she adopted from a shelter last fall. \u201cShe helps with my anxiety,\u201d Balistrieri says. \u201cShe lives in my dorm and hangs out in the study lounges with friends. I\u2019m pleased that the University recognizes and fully supports the importance of service animals to individuals with disabilities on campus. I\u2019m so happy to wake up every morning with her laying on my face, which is why I named her Snuggles!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Student
Iyad Amer \u201921, a brain and cognitive sciences major from Nablus, in the Palestinian Territories, says, \u201cAs an international student with a visa, the uncertainty of being admitted back in the United States and the fact that Middle Eastern borders are closed, made staying here the best option for me.”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Agustin Diaz Herrero \u201920, an international relations major from Mexico City, Mexico, stayed on campus due to family circumstances. \u201cI don\u2019t leave my room in Riverview very often,\u201d he says. \u201cI go out to get food or a quick walk to get some fresh air. The campus feels empty, and lonely, but it also feels safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diaz Herrero takes breaks from his online classes by listening to music, watching television, and being part of several Zoom calls unrelated to his studies. \u201cI\u2019ve talked with more friends and family during quarantine than in the last three years,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Diaz Herrero is keeping his situation in perspective. \u201cRight now, the only thing this pandemic has taken away from me is commencement,\u201d he says. \u201cThat\u2019s nothing compared to what other people are going through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Balistrieri is also focusing on the positive.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur community will always be a family, even if we aren\u2019t on campus together,\u201d she says. \u201cThe physical silence of the campus can be heartbreaking some days, but it just makes me more excited to see everyone again.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Read more<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
\"studentStill serving students\u2014and missing the ones who are gone<\/strong><\/a>
\nDining Services has adjusted its services and options to accommodate the approximately 750 students who remain in the residence halls on the River Campus during the COVID-19 pandemic. <\/span><\/div>\n
\"headshotsWe’re all in this together<\/strong><\/a>
\nA few of the undergraduates who have been studying remotely since March talk about the transition and what it\u2019s meant for them. <\/span><\/div>\n
\"studentGrad school interrupted: Students manage remote life while pursuing degrees<\/strong><\/a>
\nMeet eight University of Rochester graduate students whose lives and work have changed dramatically over the last two months. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not every student can go home. 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