As we move into the summer season most states have begun or will be beginning Phase Two of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By the end of summer, many states are expected to be in Phase Three and that will coincide with the start of the 2020-2021 school year.
“You would have to have a lot of boundaries. Constantly cleaning up after one another. Budgeting money for going home during breaks in school," Eboni Turner, a rising senior at Hampton University said. These are some of her concerns about having a new roommate and traveling during holiday breaks. “Under the circumstances of COVID-19, I do not know if people want to deal with the stress financially or mentally [of being on campus].”
A big topic of debate is about student-athletes. Will they be willing to forego a year of competition to avoid possibly contracting COVID-19?
“No. I want to use all my eligibility. Then again, I have a concern because I do not want to get sick and not be able to run track but I want to compete so I can run professionally," Kyle Lind, a rising sophomore and track athlete at Southern Illinois University Carbondale said. “I want to get as much competition before the Olympic trials.”
High schoolers are among the weary of returning to their schools even if it means missing out on noteworthy school events such as homecoming and prom.
Nyah Carter, a rising senior at A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, TX, said “I still want to have those celebrations if it can happen. I care about my health more than a high school dance [prom]," when commenting on forgoing attending her senior year of high school on campus. “If it can happen safely I would be completely on board but I do not want to take that risk and get infected.”
As of June 15, Texas has had88,160 confirmed cases per the New York Times.
That is the sixth most cases in the country.
