Campus Life During a Pandemic
Compiled by the 2020 Historian, Ally DuBois '20.
The novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) changed the world, along with college and sorority live in the spring of 2020. Ohio State governor DeWine declared a state of emergency on March 9, 2020. That day was our first day of spring break. That week Ohio Wesleyan University President and many others worked together to come up with a plan on how to keep all the students, faculty, and staff safe. Sadly, on March 10th, President Rock Jones emailed campus to tell us that classes were going online after break until April 5th. By March 13th, an email stating that on campus classes were moved to be online for the rest of semester. We were told to come back up our belongings after our break and go back home. A huge change of plans for many people especially our seniors who have now lost their final formal, date party, rose banquet, and other right of passages. All of our new members were not able to be initiated, and some new members did not even get their big/little week or in person reveal.
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Adapting to COVID-19 (Spring 2020)
Chapter MeetingsRegular chapter meeting were replaced with Google Meet chats. It was a different experience, but boy are we grateful to live in a day an age with many ways to communicate with each other.
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United for a CauseSisters all over the country got to together to take pictures and make a collage to show our support to everyone during this trying pandemic. National Headquarters also promoted safety through their wellness materials. One piece of literature was on how to manage stress during COVID-19.
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Senior Send-offGo, Live Truly Senior Celebration 2020 hosted by National Headquarters on Facebook:
We’re celebrating our graduating seniors and you’re invited! Hear from National President, Christy Phillips-Brown and our keynote speaker Dr. Leah Georges as they share thoughts of hope and love that is ever steadfast in our first ever Facebook Live presentation. Also learn how you can be part of recognizing what our Sisters have accomplished. Go, live truly! OWU alumna, Traci, also toasted the 2020 graduates through her Mama Minnow youtube channel. "Cheers to the #deltazeta #dz #seniors at #OWU Alpha Rho Chapter! Welcome to our new #DZAlums! We love you and we know you will continue to walk in the light of the flame! "
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Care Packages |
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Virtual Alumnae EventOn June 10, 2020, Alumnae Chair, Katy Wood, organized a virtual get-together. Using the already existing Alpha Rho Chapter Association Facebook group she decided to use the virtual meeting platform, Facebook Rooms. This event encompassed a wide variety of ages from recent graduates, who just became alumnae, to alumnae who graduated 20 years ago. This virtual format also allowed for a number of states to be represented. It is amazing to think that out of the 14 sisters that participated six different states were represented.
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An Ever Changing Landscape: Campus Life During COVID-19
2020-2022
Sam's Story...
OWU during COVID was an absolute insane college experience to say the least.... I joined Delta Zeta as a COB in February/March 2020. Life was great as a first year student. I was meeting new friends, having fun, and joining a sorority that would change my life. We all left for Spring Break in March... Little did we know, we would not be able to go back to school after that. When we were told we could not go back, we had to start doing everything virtually. My big little reveal was virtual, on Zoom, as well. We were also not able to be initiated until we got back in the fall. Even then, we were only able to have initiation on the 3rd floor of Merrick, where masks were required and we all had to be seated in chairs about 10 feet apart. During the whole time of Covid, we were not allowed to use the house for anything. On campus, we were not even allowed to hang out with more than 5 people in a room... including dorms. We had sisterhood events online, like murder mystery nights or virtual games. In the spring of 2021, we had recruitment completely virtual. All three days were hosted over Zoom, as well as bid day. This was horrible, but thankfully we had a committed group of young ladies that wanted to be a part of Greek life on campus and did not give up when a screen divided us. In the fall of 2021, we were allowed back to the houses, but masks were required anywhere indoors. If you were caught without a mask around others you could have gotten yourself and your organization in a ton of trouble. In the spring of 2022, our primary recruitment was finally allowed to happen in person, but masks had to be on and the first two days all of the chapters were required to host on the academic side of campus to allow for social distancing. We were assigned the Benes Rooms, which quite frankly was the nicest spot we could have been offered. After recruitment, we were able to host events, such as our philanthropy or sisterhood events, but they had to mostly be outside. We hosted DZ Dodgeball on the frat circle lawn and we had a few sisterhood events in the backyard of the house so we could see each other's faces. I also did not get to attend Delta Zeta's national President's Academy in the Spring due to Covid, so we had to do it virtually. In March 2022, things went back to our "new normal". We were able to finally not wear masks and host events without repercussions. The decade of Covid facing challenges. From the restrictions for those initiated during the 2020-2022 school years, to a change in mindset around Greek life and the whole shift of the culture at OWU. Greek life numbers diminished during this time as well. I always say, I am grateful that I even had Delta Zeta when we were kicked off campus, because if I did not have the love and company of every sister around me, I probably would have switched colleges closer to home. Delta Zeta sisterhood has been such a huge asset in everyone's lives to get through Covid. |
Briana's Story...
In 2020, I was supposed to graduate Ohio Wesleyan University like normal and walk with my classmates at graduation in front of Merrick. However, when we went on Spring Break, I didn't get to come back. That time of "not knowing" anything for certain of what would come out of my last few months in college was miserable. I felt like everything around me was collapsing. After being allowed to move out of my dorm on a scheduled day and have to turn in my keys for good, I said goodbye to my little, Kayla Cox, who was my roommate that year. I also said goodbye to another fellow DZ, Amanda Hays. I vividly remember hugging each other and truly not wanting to let go because we all felt like everything was over. Once we moved out and drove home, we had to enter the "new normal." It is interesting to look back on how each of my professors tried to set up classes to finish off the year. One memory I have is trying to complete an Ornithology lab. My professor at the time had us watch bird feeder cameras on YouTube and identify birds because he truly didn't know what else to have us do. It was an interesting way to finish my Zoology degree to say the least! I finally got to "walk" at a graduation though. The class of 2020 had the opportunity to walk at graduation with the class of 2021. My family and I tried to make the best out of it. We treated it like it was my real graduation day. One positive I pulled out of that day was getting to walk with my little and seeing the DZ women I missed so dearly over the past year and a half. To me, that was (gladly) the end of my COVID college experience. I was able to put it to rest then." |