UNC-CH students made it through the first week of classes before administrators canceled in person learning because of the coronavirus outbreaks. All classes are now remote and students who can are going home. Yesterday, the University of Notre Dame canceled in person learning for two weeks in an attempt to contain a coronavirus outbreak there. If unsuccessful then school officials say they will send students home.
Now, many college students whose universities and colleges haven't started classes yet, are debating whether it's worth it to live on campus. Parents can help their college students think through their decision. The first thing is to help your student differentiate between facts and fiction of the coronavirus. You want to make sure that they're making decisions on truth and not speculation or rumor or out of fear. It's easy for parents to want to solve problems immediately because that's what you do with your children. But, when they're older and young adults, you're better off guiding their decision making process.
A big quandary that students find themselves is missing out if they live at home or if they live on campus. The thinking is if they stay home and there isn't an outbreak at their college then they've missed out. If they live on campus and and in person learning is changed to remote living and they're stuck in a dorm then that's not much different then living at home. Or, if they move on campus and the dorms close because of COVID-19 then they're back where they started - home. And many students are concerned about being out a lot of money because colleges may not offer refunds for campus housing and meal plans that won't be used.
Parents should talk through those dilemmas that their students are feeling. Examine the dilemma from different angles including the pros and cons. Naturally, the money spent and possibly lost should be part of the discussion. You might suggest that they try to live on campus. If they're uncomfortable, or in COVID-19 cases increase then they can come home.
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