One of many who can’t go home during the coronavirus
By Charis Lawson
Hope Mesngon is a Junior who lived in Terrace Apartments at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), but unlike most other college students living on campus, she can’t go home to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic.
Because her family lives in Texas, Mesngon was initially left self-isolating in a hotel room in Maryland, until she could move in with her aunt who also lives in Maryland. Like other college students dealing with the sudden change from a busy campus life to online learning, Mesngon is struggling to adjust. She misses the simple things, she says.
“I even miss making eye contact with the professor,.”
The transition is even harder for campus residents like Mesngon who must adjust to new living arrangements instead of returning home. Of those interviewed, 80 percent were sad to leave campus and the other 20 percent were conflicted. Most residents say that they miss their independence, their friends, and their freedom.
Their abrupt change of lifestyle began on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at 2:32 pm when a Residential Life email was sent to every resident student at UMBC. Residential Life staff explained that no one should expect to be back on campus after spring break due to COVID-19. This was the first of a flurry of emails from Residential Life staff, providing specific information about how housing and dining at UMBC would be affected by the pandemic.
For students like Mesngon, who can’t return home for various reasons, ResLife offered some options. First, the student must fill out an application. Residential Life staff then comes together in a large conference room and discusses each application. The process of getting approved is difficult.
“If someone says they have to stay on campus because they have a bad relationship with their parents, we have to dig deeper and ask how difficult that relationship is,” says Amery Thompson Community Director of Harbor.
The Coronavirus had a greater effect than Mesgnon calculated. Mesgnon initially stayed in Maryland for an internship she would soon get laid off from due to COVID-19. Her spring break trip to Washington left her quarantining in a Hampton Inn from March 24th to April 7th, before going to stay with her aunt. Now, the only thing keeping her from going home to Texas is getting her stuff from her apartment.
“I understand that ResLife is doing what they think is best, but it is frustrating that I can’t go get my things,” she says, “especially since the items in my apartment helped give [me] a sense of comfort.”
While residents were initially told that they could retrieve their possessions beginning April 3rd, Governor Larry Hogan’s stay at home directive means that all move-out plans have been canceled.
“It’s back to the drawing board,” says Kaleigh Mrowka Assistant Director for Residential Education.
Mrowka explains that the Residential Life staff doesn’t have much leeway in making decisions. Residential Life has to listen to the demands made by government officials, the encouragement of the council of Maryland schools, and the decisions of President Hrbrowski.
As of April 20th, students are still unable to retrieve their belongings but UMBC has promised to refund all students money for housing, dining, and other fees for the remainder of the semester.
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