The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 1 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on September 18, 2020.
Jovana Jovanovska ’23
Staff Writer
The pandemic has brought a great deal of uncertainty into the lives of college students. Students across the country and at Lake Forest College questioned whether they would return to campus, have access to living in the dorms, and feel safe in doing so. Many Lake Forest College students thought about these uncertainties from the comfort of their homes. However a small part of the student body, mainly international students unable to return to their home countries, stayed on campus. A residential program was established by the College at the end of March to help these students throughout the summer.
The uncertainty for international students during the summer was largely a result of the new ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) regulations. According to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement website, the regulations published in July, stated that if a college chose to implement remote learning for the fall, international students would be required to leave the United States within 10 days of a college’s decision. This implicated incoming 2020-2021 international students would be denied a United States visa. However, ICE’s regulations were rescinded a week later, permitting F-1 visa students to both study remotely and retain a valid US visa.
On July 29, 2020, the College announced via email it would pivot to a non-residential fall semester. Many students who intended on returning to campus had to change their plans at the last minute, and those who stayed on campus were once again afraid of what would happen to them in these unprecedented times. Stentor staff interviewed two international students who currently reside on campus.
Editor’s note: The two students have requested to remain anonymous.
According to the students, the most unusual part about living at Lake Forest College this semester is the overall emptiness of campus and the locked buildings. The students shared that it is difficult to be on campus in these circumstances, especially when they remember how different the campus looked at the same time last year. The students shared that they don’t have access to most campus buildings; the only accessible buildings are the 24-hour section of the library, the second floor of the Health and Wellness Center, and mail services.
Students further shared that they receive two meals a day: lunch and dinner. The meals are distributed in takeaway boxes between 12-1 pm. Students are responsible for preparing their own breakfasts and meals during the weekends. The students stated that having to provide their own breakfasts and weekend meals can be troublesome, as it creates pressure on their finances. They emphasized how many stores are not in close proximity to the college and the lack of access to means of transportation to purchase groceries.
When asked about academics, the students said the most challenging part of remote learning is losing the personal feeling that face-to-face classes provided, and how difficult it can be to concentrate when staring at a computer screen all day long.
Regarding safety, the students believe that the College has been effective in helping international students feel as comfortable as possible. Overall, they feel safe on campus and said they were glad that the city of Lake Forest residents are respectful and follow state guidelines regarding the pandemic.
The students had suggestions about how their stay on campus could be improved. Organizing shuttles to Walmart, reducing the fall semester tuition, and including additional on-campus meal options are a few ways the College can continue to support those in their residential program.Stentor staff asked the students on campus what they missed about their home countries and what they’re looking forward to after the pandemic. The students miss seeing their families, friends, and enjoying food from home. They are looking forward to the campus return of all their friends back, the College to be operating in full capacity, and not having to continually wear a mask when in public.
