Recently, EMU approached me and said, “We’re going to send you on a 2-14 day paid vacation!” And I said, “How could I say no?”
Well, admittedly, that’s not exactly how it went. “Paid vacation” can translate to isolation, and “How could I say no” can translate to “I can’t say no.” Nonetheless, my days of isolation were full of ups and downs, and I’d like to take this space to give the Courtyard Marriott quarantine experience a good, thorough review.
My experience began on an early Tuesday morning when I opened my laptop to do homework. “Ding, ding, ding!” The bell went off in my head that reminded me to fill out my symptom tracker. I was feeling pretty proud of myself for remembering when suddenly I noticed that there was an orange dot in my symptoms tracker history from about 15 minutes before. Hmmm. I called the COVID hotline to let them know there’d been a mistake on my symptom tracker, but instead they let me know that I’d been listed as a close contact of a person being tested for COVID. Apparently, there would be a person in contact with me to arrange transportation to the hotel soon. Oh. I packed my things, and my apartment mates watched me go.
About an hour and a half later, I was in a van headed to the Courtyard Marriott. I was given a little sanitation goody bag with tissues, wipes, and all the disposable thermometers that I could ever want. Upon arriving at the hotel, I took my final step on outdoor ground. I was strictly prohibited from leaving my room after that.
The hotel room was relatively nice; it had the grey abstract art painting on the wall that has become the universal symbol that a zoom student is in quarantine. I was also one of the lucky ones with a balcony to get fresh air. It was no coffee sipping, porch sitting balcony, but it gave sufficient space to stand and admire the huge red Hyundai storage container centered in front of it. It was unclear whether my room had been fully cleaned or not. My bed didn’t have sheets, and the sanitation goody bag from the previous EMU student was still on the counter, but everything else was for the most part pristine and the front desk was quite helpful. There was a cute little coffee maker to satisfy my coffee needs.
The food was honestly a highlight; I always looked forward to what I’d get for my next meal. As a vegetarian, I got a lot of pasta as well as an array of fruit, bagels, and cookies. Of course, I would have been much happier choosing my own menu, or really having any say in the matter. But, considering the circumstances, the food I received was top notch.
There were two things from this experience that I would like to give especially raving reviews. First: the showers. Junior Jonas Beachy had given me a heads up about this aspect, but I could never have imagined how the warm water would encompass me with the perfect blend of distribution and force. Secondly, the EMU community really showed up as a support system. I owe a huge shoutout to the friends who provided “open when” notes, tiny succulents, almond milk, tea bags, facetimes, and entertaining nuggets of life from the outside world. It was like all the benefits of get-well sentiments without having to be sick. Equally important, my professors were incredibly understanding and hospitable from email and Zoom, which was quite comforting.
Obviously if I could choose, I would not be living through a global pandemic or quarantining. I would not want to be yanked from my life and thrust into a hotel room where I lose the control I’m so used to. Also, as a person that only stayed for two days, I don’t have a full understanding of the experience that some of my fellow EMU students are enduring. However, under the circumstances, I’d say the Courtyard Marriott quarantine experience is one that we should all healthily avoid but not dread. I was well taken care of and comfortable, which is probably all I could feasibly ask for at this point.
