Local colleges take precautions against monkeypox and COVID, even as excited students prepare for first ‘normal’ year in a while | State

Class time at DeSales University was packed with first-year students who took part in several days of fun and games before classes started on Wednesday. They are all grouped together, without masks, but all feel healthy and safe.

“These next few days are specifically for first-year students,” says DeSales senior Mary Bushner. “I think this class was so enthusiastic because they missed a lot in high school.”

About her brother Joe, an incoming freshman, he says it’s been years since he’s had a normal school year.

“It was definitely tough because the lockout started at the end of my sophomore year,” says Joseph Buschner. “I didn’t go out with my friends that much at that point. I’m definitely starting to get a little depressed, so I’m really glad we’re back together. It’s incredible excitement.”

“It’s definitely a lot more normal on a college campus,” says Eli DeGeorge of Lehigh University. “It’s good to see everyone walking around.”

In Bethlehem at Lehigh University, students say more students are good to see.

“I’m a senior now, so the last time it was like this was when I was a freshman,” says Alyssa Lew, a senior at Lehigh.

But along with the thrilling scenes of normality comes a bit of hesitation. Monkey pox was recently declared a public health emergency, causing concern among some students.

“On the student-athlete side, definitely, because it could derail the season with monkeypox or anything else that could happen, so definitely, yes, we’re definitely concerned,” says Lehigh University’s Xavier Noble.

Both DeSales and Lihai there are monkeypox precautions as well as COVID guidelines.