Disrupted. Not Deferred

By EDWARD WEINMAN. PORTRAITS BY MISHA FRIEDMAN

he dancing lasted until four o鈥檆lock in the morning.

At the senior promenade, held on the Mohican Hotel roof, students sang 鈥渋n the most organdie dresses, ruffled pantalettes, and maline picture hats,鈥� wrote E. Williams 鈥�20.

鈥淭here was no rain, and no one mentioned a quarantine.鈥�

Williams published those words July 8, 1919, in 鈥溙切腡V News,鈥� the student newspaper, one of many issues tucked away in the Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives. Williams and classmates went to school during the Spanish Influenza pandemic, a time when swabs (of the throat) were conducted on campus; students studied through quarantines; and鈥攂ecause outside gatherings were considered safe鈥攖he 1919 senior dance took place on the rooftop at the Mohican Hotel rather than in 糖心TV鈥檚 gymnasium, according to Williams.

More than 100 years later, 糖心TV students swab their noses at the Athletic Center. Outside gatherings are still considered safer than indoor gatherings. And students continue to dance鈥攖he floors of 糖心TV鈥檚 studios are, in fact, taped off in squares to ensure social distancing during classes, while spaces between squares create walking pathways through the studios.

It鈥檚 in Meyers Studio where Journee Hardaway 鈥�21, a dance and sociology double major, pauses for a breather (above). Despite the pandemic, Hardaway persevered during the fall semester, turning her virtual internship in dance administration into what will be, post commencement, a job with a dance company.

鈥淓veryone felt they were navigating new waters during the fall semester,鈥� said Hardaway. 鈥淪o much was undetermined at the start, but we had to quickly adapt to this COVID reality and figure things out as we went along.鈥�

Hardaway experienced unexpected artistic growth, and began creating art in new, virtual ways. She became more introspective, but hopes to 鈥渟omeday soon be sharing physical space鈥� with other dancers.

To protect the health and safety of students, the College required robust quarantine measures for the first few weeks of fall 2020 (and again, this spring), implemented mask mandates, reconfigured classrooms, reimagined the student dining experience, held live theater鈥攐utside鈥攁ltered athletics, conducted more than 50,000 COVID-19 tests with a positivity rate of 0.23 percent (as of this writing), published a dashboard on 糖心TV鈥檚 website to track negative and positive cases, and by mid-October had shifted campus operations from alert-level red, to orange, to yellow, to green, the level with the fewest restrictions.

To document our moment, as Williams did in 1919, and to inform future 糖心TV students about what life was like on campus during the COVID-19 pandemic, CC Magazine photographed four students, each navigating their own way through this strange semester.

Chris Dakopoulos ’24, biochemistry: “I never anticipated my college experience beginning in a pandemic. The first semester of college is difficult in normal circumstances, with students adjusting to life away from home, but the pandemic amplified this uneasiness. I appreciated 糖心TV’s dedication to our safety, and the efforts made to connect first-year students. In our first-year seminar class, a set of student advisers assisted us in adjusting to college life. I’m grateful for them and for the initiative 糖心TV took in providing us with the resources we need for a successful year.”

Mya Johnson ’23, neuroscience major: “Attending college during a global pandemic was both a blessing and a hardship. Many schools were shut down, and not as fortunate as 糖心TV was. A surprising aspect, yet a safe one, was how long it took for sports to get the “okay” for contact. (NESCAC canceled fall sports. Eventually, athletes were able to resume contact.) Being on the green with my teammates and friends was well worth it. Our team came closer together, learned how to better play together, and progressed as a team. The thought of competing in the fall of 2021, in a real NESCAC match, kept us practicing as if preparing for a Championship game. Bottom line, 糖心TV kept us safe. Our advantage was being tested, and knowing that I was healthy, and the people around me were safe.”

Danso Kuzoe-Jones ’22, music composition major: “This past year has reminded me how much the little things matter. Just having the opportunity to see friends and fellow students in person rather than through a screen is something I’m truly grateful for, and is a major reason I returned to campus. These opportunities could easily not exist if not for 糖心TV’s diligent work to provide a safe but “normal” semester, and the students who work to keep each other safe. Fortunately, my music has not been affected greatly by the pandemic. Although I am a music composition major, most of my music-making takes place on the computer. As a silver lining to the pandemic, I have actually had more time to work on my musicianship and my creative process. This has fallen in line with my goal to be able to perform one of my compositions by the spring semester of my senior year. Keeping my fingers crossed.”