By Heather Rodgers and Meredith Byers
Quarantine.
Quarantine has become a common household term. What does quarantine actually mean? According to Webster, “quarantine”: “A restraint upon the activities or communication of persons or the transport of goods designed to prevent the spread of diseases or pests”, “A state of forced isolation”, and “To isolate from normal relations or communication”.
Nothing about this quarantine is normal. We are isolated and unable to do the things we were doing just a few short months ago. Since then communication has become virtual and distant. We are face-timing more, seeing our friends, family, and coworkers on a computer screen, ordering food for pick up only, and having drive-by birthday parties.
In the college admissions world, we now have staff meetings, student meetings, college fairs, panels, and information sessions on Zoom. There is no in person communication. We are not visiting high schools, we are not attending college fairs, campus is not holding tours or events, and our staff is isolated from each other.
The switch from in person to virtual communication has occurred so quickly, and to be honest, I am still processing the change. I have not really allowed myself to fully mourn this temporary loss of face-to-face communication, and I am fairly confident that I am not alone in that.
We will not be quarantined forever. The end of this will come and life as we knew it will resume. There will likely be a new normal, but we will be able to eat dinner with friends, cheer on our favorite team, visit someone in the hospital, tour a college campus, and hug our loved ones.
There is something powerful happening in the unity of this experience. We may not be sharing our lives over chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant right now, but we can still communicate with each other and experience relational joy. No one really knows how to get through this, but we are getting through it, together.
At Auburn, getting through this together means being as flexible as we can to assist our students as they navigate this post-Coronavirus world. We are updating our policies as the situation develops, and we will publish any changes on our COVID -19 page, but more importantly, we want to hear from you. One-size-fits-all answers can’t take into account the variety of ways that peoples’ lives are being impacted right now. We can’t guarantee that you’ll get the answer you want, but we will do everything that we can to accommodate your needs. You can find your advisor here. The Auburn Family is here for you, and we’re listening.