Normally this week, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus would have been slower with students on spring break.
But university officials announced a week before that classes were being moved online. Students, if they could, were to move home.
Campus emptied out in days.
Now, there’s signs that the doors are closed, and few students left on a campus that normally has 25,000 of them.
Notices on the doors of the College of Business notify students that the building is shut down to only staff. Photo by Seth MarshallFew cars are in the parking lot of Memorial Stadium. Due to the coronavirus, events have been canceled including the April 18 Spring Game. Photo by Seth MarshallLove Library is in the dark as only a few people are allowed in. Student’s with N-Cards can study in the building. Photo by Seth MarshallIsmael Santiago works at an empty desk in Love Library on Wednesday, March 25. “Personally, I think it is an over-exaggeration of the actual situation.” Santiago said. Santiago is a sophomore and can easily transfer his classes online but he understands the burden it will be for other students to go to online-only classes for the remainder of the semester.Amber Gritter, an English masters student, jogs through the campus on Thursday, March 26. “It’s weird seeing it empty,” Gritter said. “Just walking around, it’s the quietest that I have seen the city.” There were not many people on campus. “It’s bizarre, it just makes me think of all of the post apocalyptic books and stuff.”Julian Suarez, a senior physics major sits outside of Love Library talking to a friend. “As a senior it’s kind of s@#$,” Suarez said. “Not graduating and not working, I understand why they canceled classes, it makes sense. I feel like closing all of the facilities is shameful.” Suarez is an international student along with his friends. Those who left for home don’t know if they will be able to come back. “For a lot of my friends it is a lot harder to come back to the States after leaving here.”
