Travel Limits Kept This Emory Student On Campus. Loosening Restrictions Offer Hope Of Home
Flora Allum is one of the few Emory University students allowed to stay on campus during the coronavirus pandemic. Allum is an international student from London stuck studying in Atlanta because of travel restrictions.
Courtesy of Flora Allum
Once the coronavirus pandemic took hold in Georgia, students swiftly packed their bags and left college campuses.
Emory University gave most students in residential housing less than 2 weeks to collect their belongings and move out. Atlanta University Center campuses, Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University, gave students about a week. The University System of Georgia gave students one day, following Gov. Brian Kemp’s press conference on March 12.
Flora Allum is one of the few international students left behind on Emory’s campus. She said her family lives just outside of London, and travel restrictions prevented her from heading home to Europe amid the chaos. Allum was considered an extenuating circumstance and allowed to stay.
“I’m still hoping to be able to go home in May,” Allum said.
“Emory has been really great at providing housing for international students, low-income students, people that just can’t go for various reasons.”
Not all students nationwide have been as lucky as Allum. Evictions sent with only a few days warning have caused mass panic and food insecurity for thousands of students who have nowhere else to go and lack options for affordable housing.
The college affordability research nonprofit, Rise, recently surveyed more than 500 college students in 30 states between March 18 – 24. Several students represented Georgia. RISE found that more than half of students surveyed were also unexpectedly laid off from a job, 17% lacked safe and reliable housing, and 75% now have higher levels of depression and anxiety than before the coronavirus.
But now that various business restrictions are easing here in Georgia and other states, Allum sees it as a good sign. The college senior sat down with “Morning Edition” host Lisa Rayam to talk about her high hopes of seeing home soon.
Lily Oppenheimer contributed to this report.
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