Queen’s University announced in a press release on Wednesday that it was strongly discouraging its students from returning to the Kingston campus before the end of the province-wide lockdown, on January 23, 2021. This announcement arouses mixed reactions from students.
The university strongly discourages students from returning to Kingston before January 23, 2021, unless absolutely necessary.
Rachel Salem-Wiseman, an art history student at Queen’s, was not surprised by the announcement.
I know that after Thanksgiving the cases in the community of Queen’s increased. Several students were returning from places like Montreal or Toronto, where there are more cases of the virus
, she says.
I believe this is a good decision on the part of the University to limit the cases and people who could bring the virus back to Kingston.
Ms. Salem-Wiseman plans to listen to the instructions despite living in Kingston during her first session. Since she has moved to Toronto to see her family over the holiday season, she will stay there until the end of confinement.
Madeleine Prins-Gervais is not surprised by this recommendation either. The education student, who did her first distance session in Kingston, has returned to see her family in Ottawa for the holidays. In her case, however, she has no choice but to return to Kingston before the lockdown ends because she works in Kingston.
I have to go back to Kingston, because I work there.
Philippe Haddad is in a similar situation. The history and political science student returned to visit his family in Toronto for the Christmas holidays, but still plans to return to Kingston before the end of confinement to work. According to him, he will not be the only one.
To be realistic, I don’t think there are going to be a lot of students who are going to listen
instructions, he says.
For some students like Rachel Oleschuk, the announcement of Queen’s University will not change her daily life. It doesn’t affect me at all, since I live in Kingston with my parents
, explains the student in art and science.
This is also the case for Elinor Cowper, a student who is finishing her concurrent education program this year. Originally from Ottawa, she decided to do her entire year remotely in her hometown.
It’s a good thing the students are staying at home until the end of lockdown
, she shares. The student, however, has doubts regarding compliance with this recommendation.
I don’t think people are necessarily going to listen, because there are no consequences. People want to go back to their friends and I think they will.
Queen’s University maintains that the announcement is in line with the provincial government’s containment measures. It also discourages the travel of foreign students who planned to participate in the start of the January 2021 school year.
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