By LEAH DARNELL, student reporter
As the evening draws to a close, she’s sitting on the tailgate of a ’94 Chevy pickup truck and soaking up the fresh air after a long day of being in the car.
The day had come to pack up and check out of her dorm room and move back home for the semester because of COVID-19. NWOSU along with other colleges in Oklahoma made the decision to transition from in-person classes to online for the rest of the semester, and students are advised to stay home.
Students in the dorms were asked to set up a time to come to collect belongings, while following all the guidelines and precautions. That means roommates can’t move out on the same day in order to keep and maintain the 6-foot apart guideline.
(Photo by Leah Darnell)
Now tonight, outside in Haysville, Kansas, the gentle breeze blows. American and Boomer Sooner flags wave in the wind while the birds chirp in the trees.
The different signs of spring are evident as grass is turning green after fertilizer has been put down, and trees bloom after a spring rainfall.
Yet, even with the nicer weather and extra hour of sunlight, no one is coming outside to play catch or ride bikes in the street as social distancing has become the new “normal” during a national pandemic. The neighborhood she grew up in is strange now as neighbors who used to talk in the street are staying inside their homes to keep everyone healthy. Still cars are driving by to get last minute items from essential stores before they close to help in the effort to minimize contact with others.
Reports of the virus are running rampant in Sedgwick County, but not stopping people in the county from getting out and spreading the disease when they shop at Lowe’s or Walmart.
Sitting on the tailgate of the pickup truck brings back memories of when times were simple and not having to worry about stores running out of the essential items and everyone being 6 feet apart.