Students struggle to salvage belongings

by Alexis Briggs
edited by Paul Lambert

Franklin Pierce students are scrambling to find ways to retrieve their belongings in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

(Photo: eckmanconstruction.com)

On April 16, Kathleen Dougherty, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, sent out an email describing how the item retrieval process will proceed. Each student will be given a two hour block (Lakeview residents get three hours) with up to two individuals to help move out their belongings at a scheduled time between May 5th and May 10th. 

FPU has students enrolled from across the country. Dougherty explained that if students cannot make those dates students need to fill out a form and her team will be in contact with students. 

However if a student is unable to retrieve their things, Dougherty and her team set up a policy. “If the belongings are not picked up by Friday, May 15th, the items will either be donated or disposed of,” said Dougherty. 

Some students have to take extra steps to travel back to campus to recover their items. Allie Martinez, a sophomore from California, explained how she might need someone else to pack up her items because her state is still in lockdown until May 15th. Martinez said, “I have absolutely no idea who is going to pack up my room and how they will take care of my stuff.” 

Micaela Leandro, a freshman from Texas, described her fears during this process with traveling and time restraints. Leandro said, “We are going to have to stay at hotels and things like that because it takes three days to drive home.”

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Alexis Briggs is enjoying some free time binging Netflix while also keeping up with my schoolwork.