The university apartments welcomed about 1000 undergraduate students on the weekend of Jan. 17, who joined the 1400 students with special circumstances already living in university housing. This marks a cautious step towards normalcy amid the most difficult time for Santa Barbara County since the beginning of the pandemic.Nexus photographers joined the students, parents and staff to witness the move-in that saw much change from typical times.
Residents of San Joaquin Apartments checked in at an outdoor shed. (Sophia Ramos / Daily Nexus)
Signs leading up to the check-in point of the San Joaquin Apartments lined the walkway. (Sophia Ramos / Daily Nexus)
The indoor administrative offices are modified to provide service to residents at the door. At Sierra Madre Apartments, students were checked in at a temporary service counter. (Sophia Ramos / Daily Nexus)
Staff provided check-in to students at Santa Ynez Apartments. (Sicheng Wang / Daily Nexus)
QR codes for check-in were posted on the windows of the laundry room of Santa Ynez Apartments. Web-based services were employed to reduce contact during the check-in procedures. (Sicheng Wang / Daily Nexus)
A student and their family passed by a sign urging practicing COVID-19 precautions. (Sicheng Wang / Daily Nexus)
A large tent was set up over the weekend at the Santa Catalina Hall to provide COVID-19 screening to incoming housing residents. (Sicheng Wang / Daily Nexus)
A university official demonstrated a wristband to the Nexus, which was issued to students upon completing the COVID-19 screening. (Sicheng Wang / Daily Nexus)
Parents waited on the lawn outside the San Joaquin Apartments. (Sophia Ramos / Daily Nexus)
Students and parents carried their luggage to the apartments. (Sophia Ramos / Daily Nexus)
Vehicles of the students and their family lined up on the alley at San Joaquin Apartments. (Sophia Ramos / Daily Nexus)
A sign at the entrance of Santa Ynez Apartments urged community members to take actions that mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. Under the spiking rate of infection in the region, the university apartments may have to remain quiet for a while after welcoming new residents. (Sicheng Wang / Daily Nexus)
