FARMINGTON – The University of Maine at Farmington has hit a startling spike in Covid-19 cases, just as the spring semester kicked off. Last week the school reported more than 40 students and staff had tested positive for the virus. As of right now, the protocols for the campus remain relatively similar to last semester, with the exception of testing being bumped up to a weekly schedule. In addition to the mask mandate being extended through March, students and staff are encouraged to double mask or wear N-95s. Thus far, there have been no signs of cancellation and classes remain a mix of in-person and online.
Many UMF students have said they are already feeling exhausted by the rocky start, from things like confusing messages about protocols and constantly shifting recommendations.
“I’m feeling so drained, worn out, and a little frustrated that it feels like as a student I’m doing a lot of this alone,” student Isabelle King said.
Other student echoed King’s feelings on the matter. Student Chey Yslava said she feels like, despite being faced with the pandemic more than ever now, nobody really seems to be talking about the difficulties it continues to present.
“I feel very mixed. Things have really changed,” Professor Kristen Case said. “We’ve all had to shift around our expectations of everything. One thing that makes me hopeful, is I feel like people are kinder, students are kinder, and more interested in each other. They are better at listening to each other and excited to do that.”
Case explained that at the beginning of the pandemic, many students and staff were unsure if the college experience would ever get back to normal, and how experiencing that felt has seemingly shifted people’s attitudes.
“Even as imperfect as it is there is, there is the sense of the value of this,” she said.
While openly expressing frustration and sadness about the unavoidable circumstances at UMF, students are continuing to persevere and have found comfort in leaning on one another.
