The Sophian interviewed five students about their experiences having COVID-19 at Smith, two in December and three in February. All students wished to remain anonymous and have been given pseudonyms. These are their experiences.
Getting the Call:
Anna thought she only had a head cold, but when she texted a friend that she was feeling ill, she was startled by the response: “Did you test positive for COVID too?” Anna went to the Testing Center for a rapid test where she learned that there is no phone call for a negative result and that if it was positive, she could expect a call within the hour. Actually, the call came over two hours later, but by then, she expected it since her roommate had already tested positive. Anna packed her bags and called Campus Safety for a ride to The Ellery.
Most interviewees received their required contact tracing interview before moving to The Ellery, and the contact tracer remained in touch with them throughout quarantine. Emily explained, “I got the initial call when I was not at home, so my contact tracer told me I could go home and then call her back to give her all the contact information.” On the call, Emily was asked to list every contact within the last five days, masked or unmasked, who had been six feet or closer for more than 15 minutes. According to Emily, the contact tracer was “responsive” and “helpful” during the initial call and subsequent quarantine.
Life at The Ellery:
Among those interviewed, the duration of stay at The Ellery varied from three to ten days.
Many students praised the accommodations and general organization of care, as well as the quality of the rooms at The Ellery, noting the good size of the rooms and the comfort of the full-sized beds. They received gift bags from the Schacht Center with medications, their instructions and a thermometer. They received regular food deliveries. Nurses checked on them daily, typically by email.
Nevertheless, some interviewees chafed under the restrictions. From 3:00–5:00 p.m., residents of the Ellery are allowed outside to the parking lot. At five, the doors get locked. “Which,” said Grace, “kind of feels like jail.”
Julia said similarly, “The Ellery felt more like a prison. It felt like they were punishing you for having COVID.”
In the fall, when Julia had bronchitis, she quarantined at The Ellery for only three days while awaiting sufficient negative testing for COVID-19. When she returned to The Ellery in the spring for six days, her experience was more positive. The second time around, she said, “The hotel room felt like a hotel room this time. If the food was better, it would honestly be like an actual hotel experience.”
Some interviewees had rooms of their own while others received roommates. Anna appreciated the size of the room but would have preferred a single. She commented, “You don’t want to be sick with someone. Although I knew the person, it was still a new friendship. I wanted to put on my best face. I didn’t want to be seen sick, coughing, depressed and crying.”
Everyone complained about the food, which they struggled to eat during illness. According to Anna, “It was rough, eating burgers when I was sick. There wasn’t even soup. All I wanted was soup.”
Academic Experience:
Most students emerged from quarantine academically unscathed, although some took time to catch up on work. Most significantly, the students commended Smith’s professors for their flexibility and support. Most received an option to attend class on Zoom or learn asynchronously. Grace reflected, “All of my professors were really understanding. A few of my professors had had COVID before, so they understood what it was like. They were very lenient, and they checked in with me.”
But some students experienced problems with individual professors. When a professor requested that Quinn make up class discussion points through extra work, they responded, “I am in quarantine. I physically cannot attend your class.” Quinn felt that the absences should have been excused without special makeup work. They contacted their class dean to resolve the issue.
Julia had another such hiccup when she asked a friend to Zoom her into class. In the large lecture hall, she could not hear the professor or see the board. Julia said, “We’ve been in the pandemic for two years now, and there are still professors who are not prepared to Zoom students in. It was in their syllabus that they would Zoom people in if they got sick.” Like Quinn, Julia used her class dean to facilitate a resolution.
Some students struggled with motivation, especially if they were physically unwell during quarantine and thereafter. Quinn, who was symptomatic and had underlying medical conditions, took over two months to make up all their work. In contrast, Julia, who was asymptomatic, was able to take a quiz while quarantining.
Emily said, “The stress and shock of being in isolation for ten days took the biggest toll on my learning, making me depressed and unmotivated to do the work that was assigned. I think it took me about two weeks after coming out of quarantine to get back on track with all my classes.”
Social Experience:
Some students were more fortunate than others in the social circumstances of their time at The Ellery. Anna, who quarantined with friends, saw the stay as a break from outside pressures, albeit not an altogether desirable one. Still, she said, “We would hang out and watch movies every night. We definitely got closer because we bonded over not being able to see anyone and being isolated. There were some nice moments.”
COVID-19 Stigma:
Some interviewees experienced social repercussions after a positive diagnosis because of a public perception that they had been irresponsible. According to Anna, “People make a lot of assumptions.”
For Julia, the prejudice revolved around the locations of college parties. Julia believed people unfairly assumed that she contracted COVID-19 from a party at UMass Amherst: “Even my friend was like, when I think UMass, I think UMass equals COVID.” Julia decried this double standard, pointing out that she had also recently attended a party at Amherst College but that “nobody thinks you can get COVID from Amherst.”
Return to Campus Life:
The return from The Ellery was a bumpy road. Emily reflected, “I think the hardest part of getting COVID was being in isolation, which the college could not help. That being said, staying in The Ellery and being away from everything for ten days was very difficult and hard to come back from. It was nice how supportive and understanding professors were of my situation when I was reintegrating back into regular campus life.”
Grace focused on the relief she felt at the moment of departure: “It felt so good to be in the Campo car, and driving away, and looking at The Ellery and thinking, ‘I’m not going back there.’”
