LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The holiday season is approaching, and for many students at the University of Louisville, it's the first time they get to go home and see family this year.
Executive Vice President and University Provost Beth Boehm says COVID-19 serves as a reminder for students to take care of themselves, so they can protect their families.
"The two weeks before which starts now, we are messaging, get a text be extra smart, be cautious." Boehm said. "While they might not have very severe cases themselves, they can take it home and give it to someone that may have a very severe case."
Grace Greenwell is a senior at UofL and was hoping things would look a little different by this time.
"But just that I would be able to see my grandparents and stuff that are in an assisted living home not being able to see them, I haven't seen them since February," Greenwell said.
Holidays won't be the same and neither will the next few months of school. Students are able to go home right before thanksgiving and won't have to come back to campus until January 11th. But during this extremely uncertain time, the university is providing options.
They are keeping campus open. Students will be able to stay in their living quarters and food is being served. It's their way to remind everyone, they always have a place to go.
"As long as we're their home, we're their home," Boehm said. "We take them there, we deliver food, somebody checks on them every day."
In case students do catch the virus, the university has partnered with a local hotel where they will quarantine. But of course, they are hoping to prevent that from happening. So because students will be able to be gone for almost two months, they will have to get tested when they get back.
But people like Grace are more than happy to, so she can both enjoy her last year of college to the fullest extent, and see her family.
"We're going to get tested beforehand because we don't want to get our families sick and we're going to get tested when we get back because we don't want to bring anything back to campus," Grace said.
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