With COVID-19 having a crucial impact on students returning to school, students have been affected differently by the new health and safety regulations.

For many students, the transition from high school to college can be stressful in itself. Whether students have a hard time adjusting to their new environment or not, adding a debilitating pandemic can raise tensions within the young minds of the world’s future leaders.

According to collegefactual.com, 503 out of 1771 Allegheny students participate in sports. Student athletes make up a large portion of the student body. The COVID-19 pandemic is leaving a lot of sports competitions cancelled and athletes frustrated.

“COVID-19 has increased my stress level as an athlete due to the amount of uncertainty about what the future holds,” cross country runner Anjelina Hyycko, ’24, said. 

Although the pandemic added a social barrier across the globe, Allegheny has managed to bring students back to campus in effort to continue a semblance of normalcy.

“I do like being on campus, even though it’s limited,” Erin O’Neill, ’24, said. “It’s nice to not be at home anymore and to be independent.”

Football player Wolfgang Shultz, ’24, shares the same mindset in regards to being on campus. For many, meeting new people in a safe manner has been a big part of students’ experiences.

“I enjoy being on campus and meeting new friends,” Shultz said. 

For athletes, some teams have incorporated a pod system into their schedule. This provides a safe way for students to practice their designated activities in small groups at a time.

The baseball team has used this system over the past few weeks, going to the field and getting their work in while wearing masks and physically distancing. 

For both athletes and non-athletes, the college has provided other involvement groups that allow students to participate in social life. During the first week of the first-year students being on campus, some of the resident advisors provided outdoor activities so students could interact and become more comfortable with their new home and community. 

Students have demonstrated other ways to stay busy through these uncertain times. While athletic activity is a viable option to occupy some, cooking is another way to give students something to do.

“I have been experimenting with making and eating new foods,” Hyycko said.

Though students are finding ways to entertain themselves on-campus, the Allegheny College Health Agency extend the quarantine date indefinitely on Sept. 10, after a cluster of positive cases were presented.

“I wish we were able to leave campus and not be on extended quarantine,” Hyycko said.