Felipe Cerón (MBA ’22) writes on how Covid-19 has transformed day-to-day campus life and how the HBS community is trying to adapt.
What on Earth happened in the last few weeks? Cases and traces going wild, people quarantining all over, and consequently, administration taking more restrictive measures. Goodbye to hybrid classes; it was nice meeting you, however short our courting was. Goodbye to Shad being open on the weekends; I am still fat. Is it the weather? Are people being less cautious?
The growing number of positive Covid-19 cases on campus presents a grim scenario. In Massachusetts the story follows a similar line; on November 21, the number of new daily cases reached a record 3,206 (compared to 2,977 on April 7). Nationwide, there were 204,163 cases on November 20.
Whatever the reason, the situation has affected our community so much that people are wondering whether or not they should return to campus after Thanksgiving break (if they were lucky enough to keep their original plans). How many people are coming back from Thanksgiving? Does it make sense to come back? Given that the semester will be almost over, it might make sense to spend some more time with the folks.
If you are going through hell, keep going. We are nowhere near hell, but clearly the situation has deteriorated; the bottom line is, when things start going wrong, would you rather cry or sell tissues? There are always opportunities to improve and see the good side of things, and there are some things worth mentioning that are happening within our community.
For instance, people have been taking care of those quarantining, showing how amazing our community is and the powerful bonds that developed from the section experience. Several virtual events have been put in place and “care packs” for quarantiners are everywhere, ranging from homemade brownies to alcohol. And much more importantly, we have two companies saying their Covid-19 vaccines about 90% effective.
We have been wondering what are the different options that people can engage in to get through this rough patch. Based on a survey conducted around campus, these are some of the things people recommend doing:
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- Get to know your section even more with section Jeopardy (playfactile.com/sahajjeaopardy).
- Play online games: Among Us, Scribd, the Escape Game, and Secret Hitler are just a few options.
- Watch a movie together by hitting play at the same time or sharing screen on Zoom.
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- Exercise from home, no need to go out and face the cold (join “wee30”!)
- Musicians, jam around the world online with jammr.net or jamkazam.com
- If you do not have enough with HBS, join online classes. “Masterclass” is always offering insane discounts, including annual memberships for a dollar; be on the lookout. Classes range from how to cook the perfect egg to learning how to write novels or communicating better with your partners. There is enough for every taste.
Until the next time, stay strong and look forward to good news.
Felipe Cerón (MBA ’22) is a Chilean who previously worked in consulting and retail. He considers himself to be a lifelong musician and actor, and he is an avid fan of film and television. Having a laugh over a beer, getting in a challenging workout, and reading inspiring books are among his favorite pastimes. While he thinks sparkling water is the best beverage ever created, he is also currently the owner of the most luxurious home bar in SFP.
