My name is Cassidy Figueroa, and I have been living on campus since I transferred to Cal State Fullerton in August of 2018.
I chose to live on campus because it was better than commuting from Oceanside, and I felt like it would give me the chance to make friends and experience all that the campus had to offer.
During my time living on campus and going to school at Cal State Fullerton, I have experienced quite a few things. Still, none of that prepared me for dealing with a worldwide pandemic that would force the university to cease face-to-face instruction, move classes online, and make me consider if it was a good idea to stay on campus.
Over the past couple of weeks, this is what my roommates and I experienced. First, there was a notice that a few residents might have come into contact with someone who may have had coronavirus.
That notice sent a lot of people into panic mode, and my roommates and I talked about whether housing would tell us to stay or go home.
Once classes were moved online, some residents left and went back home. I saw two people move out of the apartments, and I have since learned that there have been a few more people who have gone home.
It seemed like everything was going to be fine, but within a day, everything changed. March 16 was the first day my roommates and I didn’t have to go to our classes, so we were just “isolated” in the apartment.
A few residents that I talked to planned on leaving the weekend of March 21-22nd and possibly coming back after spring break or when the virtual instruction was over.
However, all our plans changed when we received an email from housing that said we should leave by noon on Friday, March 20. Our options were to move out entirely or just temporarily.
Needless to say, I have moved out, I am studying and completing a video internship all online and have slowly started adjusting to this new normal.
I miss my friends and roommates and the college experience I was so used to because I lived on campus.
As the days go by, I do miss being at school and living on campus. Apartment living allowed me to spend the day with my roommates, and I had the chance to walk down to the Community Market.
At home, I spend the day by myself, and I don’t leave the house.
There was more freedom to walk around and get outside while I was on campus, and now that I am home, there is nowhere for me to go and no reason to leave.
It has been nice being back home with my parents, but I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that I won’t get to live with my roommates again.
However, I know that one day I will get to see the campus and my roommates again.
I am adjusting to all the changes that have taken place, and I will keep adapting as this time of uncertainty continues.
Once this is all over, I will finish up my education so that I can obtain my bachelor’s degree.
