Delft students see that fewer and fewer fellow students are observing the rules. They fear additional measures.
The atmosphere is summery on the campus of Delft University of Technology. Around lunchtime, a long line of hungry students and teachers stands in front of two colorful food trucks in a square. The corona pandemic seems far away, but the contamination figures do not lie: they are rising quickly in Delft, especially among students. The word “lockdown” has even been used in Delft.
Conchita Martin (26) and Paula Scheenloop (29), both Science Communication students, are sitting on a wall chatting. “We take it very seriously,” says Scheenloop with a laugh, pointing to the more than two meters between her and Martin. She herself tries to follow the rules as much as possible, but she is sometimes quite worried. “I see that many students around me are more lax than before. When I look around like that I think: that one and a half meters seems shorter here than in other places.
Scheenloop fears extra measures, such as closing the campus. That would be a shame, if only because of the mental health of students. “It is declining enormously with online lectures. The social isolation simply means that you have less brain capacity. The pressure that this creates cannot be underestimated. It sometimes feels like you are permanently at work. ”
Exhausting
Armin Numic (23), Joeri Roos (22) and Kylian van Puffelen (23) are also afraid of the university closing. They are working together on a graduation project of their mechanical engineering studies and are taking a break. “Now that I have been coming back here since June, I notice how I missed it to spar, to ask something. It is so exhausting to consult online, ”says Numic. They too see on campus that students are less careful with the rules. They are guilty of that themselves. “You keep a little less distance from people you know a little better. Some more with strangers. A meter and a half is also just a lot. ” “But it is necessary,” adds Van Puffelen.
Koos Frouws (66), assistant professor of marine engineering, is standing in line for a gyros sandwich, with a pipe in his hand. Is he troubled by the rising numbers? “Distressed is a big word, but I am a bit more wary than before. It’s getting closer now. ”
For the first time in months, Frouws is again in front of the class, albeit to four students at a time. He doesn’t think it’s a good idea to lock the campus. “That is a last resort. The rules are also adhered to in the field. I’m afraid it’s a different story outside of that. ”
Craving physical contact
Indeed, some students are unwilling to keep their distance outside of campus. Sam Staps (27) is one of them. The mechanical engineering student sits in a circle on the grass with a group of fellow students, near the food trucks. With his group of friends, he decided to just hug and shake hands. They eat together, they go to the pub and they spend a lot of time together. While that is precisely where most of the infections would come from.
“I am human and I long for physical contact,” says Staps. “I accept the risk of getting sick. That must also be respected. ” What about other Dutch people? Are they not in unnecessary danger as a result? No, says Staps: “Anyone who does not want to be infected should decide for themselves and keep their distance.” Too often students are put in a bad light, says Staps. “The higher infection rates are not only caused by students. The whole of society is responsible. Even in the supermarket, people don’t adhere to the distance rules. ”
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