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Spring Break Quarantine Style

As the school year goes into April, spring break has begun for many students. Many students have returned home for the remainder of the semester and are nearing the month mark since universities closed in response to COVID-19. 

“This virus ruined my birthday plans,” said Tamia Hopkins, a senior business management major. “I had plans to go to Atlanta, but that virus started to spread rapidly and once those plans were cancelled, my plans for spring break were as well.” 

With the mandates to social distance, the closure of non-essential businesses abroad along with travel bans, many people are home during this time. In efforts to decrease the spread of the virus, vacations that would have usually been taken during spring break have been cancelled. 

Hopkins said “This is my last semester of undergrad, and I had plans to go to Miami for the break.” 

“I have never really gone anywhere for spring break in college, and I figured since it was my last semester, I might as well,” Hopkins continued. 

With being at home nearly everyday, people are struggling to keep themselves busy and college students are struggling to keep themselves motivated. 

“It is annoying,” Hopkins said. “Some of my professors are not as proficient with canvas as they should be, and then some are only giving busy work,” Hopkins said. “I am just ready for this semester to end because whenever they sent everyone home, it felt like it had already.” 

As the pandemic continues, more businesses are closing, leaving people out of jobs. According to the News Release of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “total nonfarm payroll employment fell by 701,000 in March, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent.” 

“I am thankful to still have my job because there are so many people who are losing them,” Hopkins said. “All I have been doing is working and school work, and instead of being on Miami Beach, my spring break was spent at Walmart.” 

People are hoping for the economy to reopen at the end of the month, but nothing has been said just yet. Louisiana is still set to practice social distancing until April 30. 

“Although spring break is over, I hope this does not last until the summer,” Hopkins said. “I feel like they should open everything back up by June.” 

Governor John Bel Edwards announced that all Louisiana schools were to remain closed for the remainder of the school year on April 13. Also, in addition to that announcement, he announced that the COVID-19 trajectory “continues to be encouraging.” Following the lowest single day increase in two weeks. 

Hopkins stated, “I hope this is nearing the end. I kind of feel like the stay at home order will be extended until the end of June just as a precaution,” she continued. “As much as I hated not being able to travel during spring break, not having a summer would be worse.” 

With the increases in cases getting smaller by the day, the Trump administration, along with individual state governments, are trying to make decisions whether to reopen the economy within the next few weeks or to continue the stay at home order.