UConn students begin move-in process amid pandemic

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    STORRS, CT (WFSB ) — Friday marked the start of move-in days at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Students arrived on campus and noticed changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Of course UConn is going to try its best to enforce the health policies, whatever, but they can only do so much,” said Catherine Bissereth, a junior. “Like students, it’s going to be up to them as well to keep up with the health standards.”

Roughly 5,500 students have been moving in to buildings on the Storrs campus. Typically, they would be lined up with tons of people.

That’s what used to happen.

Now, they’re staggered at appointed times over the next few days through Monday.

Orange cones were set up in two separate lanes to direct students arriving to spread things out to five different processing areas throughout the campus, all in an effort to have social distancing and to keep everyone safe.

Students were only allowed to enter their residence hall with one person to bring in their belongings.

Once moved it, they will need to stay there for fourteen days.

“For the first couple days, it’s not much interaction until people get negative COVID tests and then for like maybe the next two weeks we are staying in like mini bubbles where we are really only interacting with maybe suite mates or maybe like small certain parts of your floor,” said Joshua Devera of Milford, a sophomore.

Students were asked to pack lightly, because the fall semester transitions to fully online on Nov. 21 in anticipation of them moving out by then.

“We are excited and nervous at the same time. But I think the school and him made us more comfortable that it is okay to go back to school. He follows rules, so he should be okay,” said Arnold Devera, Joshua’s father.

There are five big tents on campus.

Students were tested there for COVID-19.

They were asked to stay with their suite mates.

School officials called it cohorting. It means staying in your small group.

As far as visits from parents, students can have visitors, just not in the residence halls.

Those are restricted to students who are living there.

All bathrooms will be sanitized twice a day and students will be given sanitizing cleaners to clean up after themselves once they use common areas, like the restrooms.

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