March Student Arrivals

Joy Chi/The Exonian

By: Jessica Huang, Nina Kellogg, Reilly Piersimoni

Students returning to campus for spring term arrived back in New Hampshire this past Saturday, March 13, and will remain in quarantine until March 20. Another wave of students is scheduled to arrive on March 20.

Locations to complete the 7 to 14-day required quarantine varied depending on students’ remote locations. Students returning from New England states were given the option to sign a quarantine agreement and complete an at-home 14-day quarantine prior to arrival, allowing them to enter dormitories and in-person activities immediately. For those arriving from areas outside of New England, a seven day at-home quarantine and saliva test prior to their arrival were required, in addition to completing a seven-day quarantine at the Springhill Suites by Marriott Hampton Portsmouth hotel.

According to Dean of Student Health and Wellness Johnny Griffith, a March arrival’s first moments on campus will be the same as those who arrived in February: they will receive a COVID-19 test in the Thompson Field House before leaving for their quarantine locations. “Ideally, students will need to learn remotely only for the first week of the term and then will return to in-person classes beginning March 29th,” Griffith wrote in an email to The Exonian. 

Each March arrival will have their own hotel room to quarantine in with meals and snacks provided. Despite the strict regulation of quarantine, March arrivals in hotels will have some freedom. “Our plans for March returns are designed with everyone’s safety in mind…  each day, those students will be able to get outside to get some fresh air and exercise,” Dean of Students Brooks Moriarty said.

According to Athletic Director Jason Baseden, “For students who have done a two-week quarantine in New England and have passed their arrival COVID test, they can participate in physical activity as soon as they arrive on campus.” He added that March 13 and March 20 arrivals will be athletic-safe by March 20 and March 27, respectively.

Students’ reasoning behind choosing to arrive in March rather than the earlier February date varied. Some students stayed at home for academic and extracurricular reasons, opting to complete winter term in one place, take a scheduled standardized test or have better access to athletic facilities. Students also stayed behind to spend more time with relatives and celebrate cultural traditions. 

Lower Leyla Unver, currently quarantined at the Bandstand Inn, said, “I wanted to spend some more time with my family before going back to campus. I didn’t want to go only to regret it or have to go back home because there were issues.”

Senior Isabel Carden, who plans to return on March 20, was “worried about experiencing the same isolation from the fall because of cold weather and COVID restrictions.”

On the athletic front, lower Cam Guthrie said, “Staying home throughout February allowed me to more easily do things I had hoped to do on campus in the fall. For example, I had easier access to gym facilities and other facilities that were important to me.”

Similarly, senior Brigette Gable wanted to enjoy the freedom of being off campus for a little longer. “I didn’t want to be constrained to campus for a month more than I had to be,” she said.

Some March arrivals chose to stay home to take standardized tests or participate in competitions. 

Prep Henry Yao stayed at home to take the AIME. “Because of that [the AIME], I didn't want to take the test in my dorm room with my roommate there due to the time commitment being three hours long.”

Likewise, upper Russell Tam explained why he chose to return in the spring. “The main reason I decided to come back in March is because of the SATs. I had signed up for the March 13 SAT at home, so I had to choose a date after the 13.”

Tam also mentioned how this was not just a personal decision, but rather a greater familial choice. “Looking back, I think I made the right choice, especially because I was able to celebrate Chinese New Year with family back at home.”

Most students returning in March appreciate the Academy’s preparations for their arrival and attention to student health. “I feel confident about my own safety [on campus],” said Gable. “I think Exeter has done a great job providing resources and information to the students about COVID-19.”

Tam agreed. “With the school's success in controlling the virus in the fall, I already felt confident that the spring term would be well managed too and was not too concerned. Missing the huge wave of February arrivals and the uncertainties during the first week makes coming in March even more safe. Now, knowing that all the February arrivals are safe and doing well, also makes me feel more comfortable coming back,” he said.

As the March 20 arrival date approaches and those hunkered down in hotel rooms prepare to move back into their dorms, students look forward to having a majority of the community back together.

  “The hardest part about being away from campus has been being away from my friends and my family in Amen,”  Carden said. “I can't wait to see them.”