By Brittney Payette
Copy Editor
This year at Cameron University, move-in days were on Aug. 14 for new students, and Aug. 15 for returning students, with check-in times determined by last name.
Move-in days looked different this year because of the coronavirus.
Cameron took extra precautions around campus to prevent COVID-19 from spreading. For example, everyone who enters a Cameron facility — which includes campus housing is required to wear a face covering.
Also, hand sanitizer is available around campus.
Cameron also limited students to two supporters who were allowed to help on move-in day.
To further prevent Coronavirus from spreading, no one in the dorms this semester has a roommate.
Some rooms still have two twin beds in them, but there is only one person assigned to that room.
Although many things were different in housing this year, one thing stayed the same: students still had paperwork to fill out.
On move-in day, students filed into the Shepler Center to submit housing paperwork. Once students got their keys, they were able to go to their dorm rooms. On the desk in each dorm room, students received adjustable face masks with Cameron logos.
Some students, like freshman Biology major Adriana Anderson, were disappointed with move-in day changes.
“I didn’t get the full experience of what move-in day was like,” Anderson said. “I was a little bit disappointed.”
Senior Resident Assistant Anastasia Adamson sent out an email about some Cameron’s policies that people were violating.
She said she checks the video cameras every day, so she will know if someone violates the “no visitor” policy or is not wearing their mask. “You must wear your mask from your room to the bathroom, to the lounge, and of course down the halls to the elevators,” Adamson said. “This is to protect yourself and others.”
Cameron University policy defines a visitor as any individual not assigned to a room on the specific floor.
As a result of the policy, some students have tried to get to know some of the other people on their floor.
Each Shepler floor had its own theme, and residents decorates the halls to represent those themes.
Some floors also had floor meetings after move-in day, where residents played games and ice-breakers to help students get to know each other a little better.
During the meetings, residents also discussed dorm rules. These included new rules put into place because of COVID-19, such as face covering requirements and not allowing students to throw dorm trash into hall trash cans.
Instead, students are required to take their garbage to the trash can outside of the Shepler Cafeteria.
Welcome Week also had to be altered in order to make events fun and safe for everyone.
Programming Activities Council (PAC) hosted Welcome Week from Aug. 17-20 with events going on each day.
Monday, there were free breakfast burritos. Tuesday, there were free snow cones and a build your own Zen Garden event. Wednesday, there were free snow cones and a trivia game show on Zoom. Thursday, free ice cream was available across campus.
For more information about campus housing, contact Student Housing at 581-2392.
For more information about PAC events, email pac@cameron.edu or call 581-2217.