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Since Thursday 12 March, when the university announced its coronavirus measures, life also at ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College Utrecht has radically changed. After the first week of social distancing, which overlapped with our Spring Break, students and staff members are finding new ways to work, study, communicate and relax.

The closure of all offices and educational and social spaces has silenced life on campus; all academic and support staff members are working from home, and a number of students have left campus. Other students stay put, while following the new non-gathering rules.

Wired

Among the initiatives to connect the UCU community, is the daily broadcast of the student-run . At 18:00 every day everyone is welcome to listen to Stanley Ward’s stream about students’ experiences of the current situation.

Another students’ media initiative is the hugely successful where a group of ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College Utrecht students post translations of the Dutch national broadcasting service about the corona crisis. Noes Petiet, who is the initiator, tells:

“It all started on Friday, when the measures against the virus were being implemented. I was checking the news constantly, and noticed that my fellow non-Dutch speaking students were relying on other Dutch students to tell them what was going on. I then asked in our student group whether people would find it helpful to have some articles translated, as well as if there were some Dutch students who would be willing to help. The response was overwhelming. We are now with a group of 8 students, active all day round. Overall the responses have been heartwarming, and those signs of appreciation are a great motivation to keep going.”

Initially, the page was meant only for ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� College Utrecht students, but the audience expanded quickly to other international students and expats in the country. But the best move was yet to come: on Thursday 19 March, the NOS posted about the page, and Noes and her fellow editors Afra Peetoom, Vivian van Oosten, Marie Claessen, Cloë van Geest, Manar el Amrani, Julia Zonneveld and Susana Arias saw the follower numbers growing from 2,500 to above 7,000 within a few hours, and further up to more than 11,000 overnight. 

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New insights

For student Fiona Loomis social distancing has brought a new way to look at things. Although she is missing friends and her family in France, she sees her isolated life on campus bringing also new insights:

“This is the longest amount of time I have spent in my little room. It is pleasant to have time, a lot of time. Painting and reading have been my favoured pass-times, and it has felt totally nourishing and gratifying to spend so much time doing what I please. I have been dancing in my room, trying to stretch and move and get outside to breath the fresh air and hear the birds and rustling leaves. I have reached out to family and friends. I've had time to rest and think, to meditate and walk around observing how beautiful the new buds and flowers are.”

“It has been exceptional, an experience that has made a lot clearer for me. I am learning to accept what is here, how things are, what I have, and to be grateful that I am safe and have many loved ones who I can reach out to. I am sending all my thoughts to those in more difficult, sometimes dyer situations everywhere in the world and remain thankful that we are not on full-lockdown like in France. I am also sending thoughts to all those from UCU who might have similar experiences to me, who might be experiencing sadness and inner conflict. Everything is OK, you are doing the best you can, all you can do is accept that these emotions are there inside of you and that you have time to sit with them. All my love to you!”