The first week of school is coming to a close at the University at Buffalo and for sophomore's Eli Jenkinson and Kelsey Rupe, it's been a new experience.

What You Need To Know

  • UB students are wrapped up the first week of this semester
  • Positive COVID-19 cases on campus are rising
  • Some students expect to be sent home soon
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Friday afternoon, they got lunch together. It's about the most face-to-face contact either of these students have had throughout this week.

"I've been sitting in my dorm a lot because I don't have any actual in-person classes," Jenkinson said.

Both these students live on campus but they're taking all their coursework online. They said it's a little unusual but actually going better than last semester when they were thrust into online learning, but they're not optimistic even this will last for long.

Both have watched closer as the number of positive coronavirus cases on campus has risen.

"I'm willing to bet money we're going to be home by next Friday or maybe even Monday to be honest. I mean Oneonta already closed after like four days of classes so UB's like right down the line," Rupe said.

If UB reaches 100 positive cases on campus the administration says it will send everyone home. Jenkinson believes it's just a matter of time. He said, like on other college campuses, he's seen too many students gathering, not enough masks, and not enough social distancing.

Rupe and Jenkinson said it's an unfortunate situation because they believe there are safe ways to be around friends and other students and even though their classes are online, they say the campus setting helps them focus on their education.

"People can't really behave and it sucks because I like it here and I just moved in," Jenkinson said.

They're worried they could be moving out just as quickly.