Students’ On-Campus Arrivals Staggered Over One-Week Period

Wesleyan welcomed students back to campus during the week of Aug. 24. Traditionally, students would arrive on New Student Arrival Day, and be accompanied to their new home-away-from-home by families and fellow students. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Residential Life stretched Arrival Day activities over the span of seven days, and students were assigned a formal arrival date and time to minimize crowds and allow for appropriate social distancing. Only students could enter residences during the move-in period. Classes began virtually on Aug. 31.

While COVID-19 is continuing to tear through Japan, Tokyo resident and first-year-student Takumi Abe ’24 feared he wouldn’t make it to campus this fall. But “I managed to make it here,” he said. “I am excited about the new experiences that I will have with new students and staff, the lessons that are starting next week, and about the summer heat coming to an end. The change in the working and living environment feels like a fresh start and I am motivated in making this first semester productive and fun.”

Prior to moving into their residence halls and homes, every student was tested for COVID-19 at Wesleyan’s testing site.

Photos of Arrival Week are below: (Photos by Olivia Drake and Simon Duan ’23)