Next week will be the first time in six months that Capital University’s campus will be fully open—students living in residence halls, in-person classes, coffee brewed in Cap Grounds, and all of the other fantastic parts about Capital will be full steam ahead.
This semester will look a little bit different. Here’s a snapshot of what a day in the life of a Capital student will look like during the pandemic.
First, whenever students are outside of their dorm rooms, they must wear a mask and practice social distancing.
In order to make this possible, Capital is providing students with two washable cloth masks and designating certain entrance and exit doors for buildings across campus—make sure you pay attention to signage throughout your day!
Before leaving the dorm room in the morning, students will be required to check for symptoms of COVID-19. Common symptoms include, but are not limited to, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, or a fever of 100° or higher—make sure to add a thermometer to the packing list this year!
After ensuring that they’re free from symptoms, students can strap on their masks and head out to grab breakfast at the MDR.
Capital’s Main Dining Room will be open Monday through Friday, from 7:00AM to 8:00PM, and all food lines will be served by dining staff.
Limited seating is available in the MDR, and housekeeping staff will be thoroughly disinfecting tables as students leave, but compostable to-go containers will be available at every food station, in case students would rather eat elsewhere.
If you need a bit of something to brighten up your Monday morning, head on over to Cap Grounds. The campus coffee house will be opening at 7:00AM every week-day morning, but it will close at 2:00PM this semester, so make sure to get your caffeine fix early.
After breakfast, you’re free to head to class, whether it be in-person or on Zoom. All courses have different delivery styles for this semester, so make sure to check myCap to double-check your class’s room location, and make sure to read all emails from your professor to understand completely how your class will look.
If your classes will be happening remotely, but you’re still dying to get out of your room, there are multiple locations around campus from which you can Zoom into class.
Study spots are available in both Blackmore and Hanna Libraries, the Convergent Media Center, and the Student Union.
Make sure you bring headphones along, and be aware of your surroundings—some of these locations will be for quiet study, and not suitable for class discussions.
After sitting in class all day, you’ll probably be wanting to get moving! Of Capital’s gym facilities, The Meez (located on the third floor of the Student Union) will be open to students.
Equipment has been spaced and machines have been closed in order to maintain social distancing, and students will be asked to disinfect after using.
The workout facilities in the Capital Center are, at this time, closed for regular student use, although athletic teams will have scheduled times for group workouts.
Also, even though regular season sports will not be happening, students will still have the chance to participate in intramural sports. The offerings for this semester will be sand volleyball, cornhole, and bocce, and you can register here.
Student organization events will be happening both online and in-person. Check out Engage or the Corq app in order to see the full event schedule, and be sure to stop by the in-person organization fair on Thursday, September 24 to get involved!
After a full day, you can have dinner at One Main Café before heading back to your residence hall room.
This year, students can order One Main online through the GET website and skip waiting in line, although in-person and kiosk ordering is still an option.
Like the MDR, tables have been spaced to allow for social distancing, or to-go options are available.
If you take your food back to your room, however, be aware that your friends might not be able to come with you. No outside guests are allowed in residence halls, and this includes students who live in other residential areas.
Unless your friends are residing in the same building as you, plan to dine in or have an outdoor picnic.
This semester will be different than any before, but that does not mean that it won’t be enjoyable. By taking a few common-sense precautions, students will be able to enjoy their time at college while protecting the health of everyone around them.
