Teen Talk: An open letter from one new COVID-19-era college student

Matthew Frederick

I am writing today from my new home for the next three-ish months. I’ve finally made the trek to college after all the months (it might even be fair to say years) of waiting. For those of you who are not familiar with my column, I attend SUNY New Paltz as a student of the art education program.

Move-in day was not only hot and sticky as is typical of a New York summer, but it was unquestionably bizarre. Given the new regulations implemented at universities across the nation for COVID-19 prevention, there were many freshman rituals that simply ceased to exist. Unlike a normal year, parents were not permitted to help their children bring their personal effects to their rooms. Parents were politely asked to wait patiently outside, fully equipped with their masks, to guard piles of snacks, cleaning supplies and other school paraphernalia while the students trudged through the hallways all alone.

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