Monmouth University has recently seen a spike in Coronavirus cases with the most recent number of positive confirmed cases being 291. President Patrick Leahy, Ed.D., has issued increased precautions in response to the rapid spread, some of which include the closing of recreational buildings like the gym, and a temporary halt to in-person lessons. The world around us is changing, however there are many ways to adapt to it and still have fun doing socially distant and low- risk activities.
The University encourages students to social distance and minimize in- person interaction, but there is still an abundance of online activities being offered to students. On October 28 th at 6:30 PM, alumni Jenna Gaudio is hosting a virtual Zoom meeting called “Creating Opportunity in Chaos.” She is a senior executive in the media tech industry, and she found her job during the 2008 recession. Her event will be about finding jobs and making the most out of ones’ skill set to pave the way for a career despite the global pandemic. This event will be worth attending as college students that will be entering the workforce during a troubling economic period. The University will also host monthly Tuesday night book club meetings over Zoom.
Outside of activities that the school has to offer, students have been getting creative and finding activities to do that are safe and located close to the University. Leah Fonseca, a senior, has been spending much of her free time outside. She says that “the world is weird right now and I’ve been trying to spend as much time outside as possible to get sunlight and get out of bed. My roommate and I recently went pumpkin picking at Eastmont Orchards in Colts Neck and it was a lot of fun.”
Whether it’s attending an event that will benefit your future career or having fun outside with a small group of friends, there are many activities that will keep college students both entertained and safe from the coronavirus. We no longer live in a pre-pandemic world where college students can party and drink from the same cup without thinking twice, but with discipline and determination students can entertain themselves and make the most out of their time in school while keeping the community safe.
PHOTO COURTESY of Monmouth University
