CARBONDALE (WSIL)-- Since September 11th, there have been 83 reported COVID-19 cases on SIU's campus.
Part of the reason this number has remained lower is because students who come in contact with positive cases must quarantine for 14 days.
But for the students who remain stuck in their rooms, the experience can be draining.
Quarantined on Campus
"College itself just doesn't make it easy and when you thrown on quarantine and now you're virtual, with poor communication. It makes it really hard to stay on top and get caught up," said Devin Escue, a senior at SIU studying forestry.
In September, Escue was quarantined after he ate dinner in the Trueblood Dining Hall with a student who had tested positive for COVID-19.
To slow the spread of the virus, the SIU administration has been isolating students who test positive for the virus and moving them into special housing, and quarantining students who come in contact with positive cases.
The SIU administration remains adamant about their commitment to keeping students' safety and education a priority during the pandemic.
However, there are students on campus that do not feel this is the case.
"This whole semester feels like they want us here for the money," said Escue.
Escue didn't mind the quarantine at first.
"Obviously I was upset I had to stay in my room. But it was kinda relaxing."
But the peaceful feelings quickly went away.
"About after the first 24 hours when I got sick of the dininghall food they were giving us."
According to Escue, some of the meals were less than appetizing, which did not help Escue's mental state. He lives on SIU's East Campus, in a room that is 14 feet wide and 17 feet long.
"I don't think SIU has really looked at how quarantining in such a small space affects people's mental health," said Escue. "You feel trapped, cabinfever. It sucks being in quarantine. It tanked my mental health and I think it really affected me for the rest of the semester."
Mental Health Toll
Jaime Clark, the director of Counseling and Psychological Services at SIU, said that a lack of routine can play a big part in a quarantined student's mental state.
"These are students that are used to being very active, they're involved, they have routines, they have schedules. And that is disrupted," said Clark. "The routine as you know it is gone and that is shown to really increase anxiety. And that's been shown across the country right now. So when you're put in a situation where you're put in isolation or in quarantine, you feel like you're even more cut off."
Leaders at SIU say they are aware of the mental affects quarantine and isolation has on students.
The university set up daily phone calls with students to check in on them and Clark said the Student Health Center works closely with students to monitor their physical and mental well being.
SIU Responds
"The idea that SIU is just in this for the money is absolutely ridiculous," said Jim Hunsaker, the Associate Director of Housing at SIU.
Hunsaker said SIU is doing what they can to help students remain comfortable during their quarantine and isolation and they have resources to help students return back to their daily schedules.
"There are tons of resources on campus to help students readjust after quarantine," said Hunsaker.
SIU offers counseling and tutoring to help get students back to classes and keep their mental health from declining, but according to staff, they cannot fix problems they aren't made aware of.
"It's up to the student to let us know that they are having those issues of course. We will reach out to them and as long as the student is open and honest with us that they are having these issues or reintegrating back into campus life, then we are going to reach out to somebody to come and talk to the student as well," said Hunsaker.
Director of Residence Life Travis Pierce gives each student going into quarantine a document that highlights what is expected of the student. The document also shows resources available to students, such as psychological services.
"It's really hard and difficult to ask for help at times but don't be afraid. We're here to do whatever we can to make you successful. We want you mentally healthy, physically healthy and academically successful at the institution. And the resources are here, and we'll provide them to you," said Pierce.
Resources offered to students in need at SIU Carbondale:
For updates on Southern Illinois University's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic .
