Spring break is just a few days away and normally, most University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) students are either packing their beachwear to soak up the sun in Miami or choosing outfits to experience the nightlife in Montreal. However, recent emails that were sent out by professors to some students indicating that UNH might extend its spring break and will resume classes online. While this is a precautionary step by the university to decrease the risk of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from spreading on campus by students that will be traveling, most students are already cancelling their trips and choosing to go back home instead.
“My initial plan was to go back home,” junior secondary math education major Chandler Duhaime said. “Although the coronavirus did not affect my plans, my roommate’s parents who are from China had to cancel their trip here to visit him because they are being quarantined.”
The same scenario happened to junior psychology major Rita Calo.
“The spread of the coronavirus definitely affected my friends but not me,” Calo said. “I am more worried about older people and babies around me that could be carrying the virus as they are more prone to catch it.”
“A lot of people are concerned about their personal health, but I am not,” human development and family studies major Madison Savoy said. The senior will be travelling to Boston with her sister to visit her family this upcoming spring break. “I am more concerned about the people that are coming back from elsewhere,” she added.
Brendan Therrien, a junior majoring in computer science felt otherwise. “I feel like most students are taking advantage of the cheap flights right now,” Therrien said. The New Hampshire native believes that the coronavirus has not taken a toll on student’s vacation plans yet. “Besides taking care of my personal hygiene, I would not treat the virus any different than the flu.”
So far, the coronavirus has not affected sophomore Emily Desvergnes’ spring break plans.
“My mom, my sister and I will be going on a cruise to the Bahamas from North Carolina,” Desvergnes, a nursing major, said. Beside craving the sun, Desvergnes said that her mom wanted to have a girls’ trip where they can bond. “We are still going; however, we are not worried about catching the virus during the trip but rather being quarantined when we are back.”
With the increasing number of coronavirus cases, airlines are lowering their ticket prices because of the lack of travelers. Madelyn Dearing saw the chance and took it.
“I was not planning on going to California for spring break, but tickets were so cheap,” Dearing said. The sophomore will be visiting some family members and are currently not worried about travelling domestically.
Straying from the cliché spring break destination is Riley Barton-Schwartz, who chose to go to Colorado for a ski trip. The sophomore was thinking of cancelling his flight but chose not to after realizing that the virus is most dangerous for the older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“I am more worried about coming back because once the virus comes on campus, it will be spread very easily,” Schwartz said.
Whether it is Miami or Montreal, most students agree that their ideal location for spring break would be somewhere warm and has a good nightlife scene. In the end, it is all about having a good time.
