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By: Emma Ardizzone

Over the summer, when Boston University announced that we would be allowed back on campus in the fall, I did not know how to feel. At this point in the summer, I had spent five months at home, only coming in close contact with my mother. The thought of going back to the college campus that I knew was daunting — but also incredibly exciting. I longed to see my college friends and get back to working with students; however, I had no idea how to do all this amidst a pandemic. I was still nervous to even have a socially distant visit with my aunt, so how was I going to walk down Comm Ave without feeling like I was putting myself and my community at risk?

I asked myself this question every day, weighing the pros and cons of staying home or returning to campus with every passing moment. BU then sent out an email listing the guidelines with which every student, staff, and faculty would have to comply. With these new safety precautions, I knew I could return to Boston with confidence.

BU outlined that everyone on campus had to get a COVID-19 test at least twice a week, fill out a daily symptom survey to regulate the onset of symptoms, wear a mask at every location on campus, stay at least six feet apart from peers in classrooms and study spaces, along with many more regulations. BU even endorsed the F*ck it Won’t Cut It public health campaign created by BU students to emphasize how serious they were about COVID-19 safety. The administration also made sure that students who did not feel comfortable returning to campus would not have to take a gap year, as they could participate in Learn From Anywhere (LfA). LfA ensures that no matter what happens, each student can still attend their classes, take their exams, and submit their assignments because every class would be offered remotely. Although some classes do meet in person, the instructors altered each course to be accessible via the internet.

Although LfA was an option for me, I chose to come back to campus. As soon as I got to campus in the fall, I knew that my university was doing all that it could to protect not only me and my peers, but the staff and the greater Boston community as well. With all the guidelines in place and the constant enforcement of these rules, I feel safe and comfortable on BU’s campus. I could not be happier to be back in Boston