Jan Term: Traveling During a Pandemic

By: Remy Zerber
Culture Columnist
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There are many students who will want to travel during Jan Term in 2022. People are extra eager to travel which is understandable, considering we have spent the past year in quarantine because of the coronavirus. However, even though some countries have opened up and people are allowed to travel now, there are still many safety precautions that need to be taken in order to prevent the spread of the virus. Even though travel for the long-anticipated JanTerm 2022 is open now, students and staff still need to follow safety protocols so no one gets COVID-19.

Different countries have different policies on traveling. Some countries are open and others have closed their borders. For example, travelers need permission to go to Anguilla but countries like Canada are open to US travelers. Every country has different policies for entering it. For example, some countries require everyone to be vaccinated and quarantine for any amount of time upon entering. Even though it may be difficult to travel, students will still do it because everyone misses traveling. The pandemic and quarantine have made everyone appreciate traveling so much more.

The risks of traveling during JanTerm 2022 are still high even though quarantine is over. Students can still get COVID-19 even if they follow their destination’s COVID-19 policies. There is no 100% guarantee that someone won’t get it. However, safety procedures are taken to keep everyone safe. In a recent update, the college has officially announced that travel is restricted this Jan term. Most students are disappointed by this news because we have not been able to travel for the last year and we miss traveling. Most students already paid the deposit to travel so it was especially disappointing when they could not go. Hopefully, it will open up again next year.

Another problem students might encounter when traveling is cost. Cost plays an important role when a student is deciding where to travel during JanTerm. Most trips are expensive so students will need to figure out how to pay for them. Students might be able to get a scholarship to pay for their trip but they will have to meet the deadlines.

Safety procedures still need to be followed in order for students to travel safely during JanTerm 2022. Countries have different policies regarding who is allowed to enter it. The risk of getting COVID-19 is still high even though quarantine is over now. Traveling for Jan Term is expensive so students might be able to get scholarships to pay for it.