JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WJAC) — What was supposed to be the end of spring break for students has turned into move-out day at universities across our area.
The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown’s parking lots were filled with parents and students packing up their dorm rooms to move out before the semester ends. This comes after University of Pittsburgh officials announced the university will be canceling in-person classes at all five campuses for the remainder of the semester in hopes of preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
“We understand the precautions that need to be taken and everything, but you are taking away the last semester for the seniors,” said Pitt-Johnstown senior Alyssa Figueiredo.
Pitt-Johnstown, along with the other University of Pittsburgh locations, will extend spring break until March 23. From there, online and alternative learning options will take place amid the coronavirus. Students were told by the university they had to move out of their on-campus housing by Saturday, March 21. Figueiredo was emotional while packing up her dorm room.
“I was very frustrated. I just wanted to come back and finish my senior year and see my friends and go to graduation. Now, that is all up in the air. It’s kind of really upsetting,” said Figueiredo.
Figueiredo says she is most upset about all the events she and her friends will miss because of the semester coming to an unexpected end.
“Well, I’m a nursing major, so we have our pinning ceremony before graduation. I was finishing up my clinicals, which I was really enjoying. My friends and I really like going to sporting events. We have that Easter egg hunt on campus, which doesn’t sound like much, but it gets the campus together,” said Figueiredo.
Along with fun events, hands-on classes are now being transitioned to online classes for the remainder of the semester, which really affects students whose majors require clinicals, like nursing.
“I’m in my transition semester, so the majority of my semester has been clinical, so to not be able to go to my clinical site and work with my preceptor and have that hands-on experience is going to be really difficult. They are going to give us alternative assignments, which at least gives us the practice with the material, but it’s not the same as doing anything hands-on,” said Figueiredo.
Figueiredo says she is not worried about not finishing her clinicals. She says the nursing program at UPJ has given her the opportunity for lots of hands-on learning so this should not hurt her in her job hunt after graduation.
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