Video Segment: https://youtu.be/JwGWjRVMMqg
Just two blocks behind the Markin Center on the edge of Bradley University’s campus, the house at 808 N Cooper St. sits partially concealed behind a towering oak tree. The front porch is screened off, but hosts a small glass table and six mismatched chairs from different table sets. Sophomore Max Talsania leans his chair against the side of the house and types away at his computer, ignoring the Peoria rain that has begun to trickle down.
“There’s always someone on the porch,” Talsania notes. “Though I’m usually the only one when it rains.”
808 N Cooper has become a safe haven for Talsania since the coronavirus outbreak rocked the United States. He had planned to go back to his home in New York for spring break–even bought plane tickets for March 16th–but on March 13th Bradley announced an extended spring break. Hours later, classes were moved online for the remainder of the semester. And the day before Talsania was scheduled to leave, his flight was canceled along with several hundred other flights into the state.
Displaced and confused, Talsania stayed in his dorm for the first few days after the announcement. But eventually, the lack of food sources on campus drove him out–and into the spare room at 808 N Cooper with a group of his friends. The house’s lease was extended into June and Talsania jumped at the opportunity to get out of campus housing.
“At least I can work outside now,” Talsania says.
The move was supposed to be temporary, but Talsania’s attempts to return home became seemingly more impossible. Just before he purchased another ticket, Illinois extended their stay-at-home order through the month of April. And as he began making plans to return in May, his mother informed him her boss had contracted COVID-19 and his whole family was under quarantine for the next few weeks.
Now, he has no idea when he is supposed to go home.
“I can’t really imagine staying through June,” Talsania explains. “But I have no idea what is going to happen.”
And Talsania isn’t the only one. In fact, all five of his housemates are out-of-state students spread across cities in New York and Minnesota. Many of them have decided to remain in Peoria through the Fall 2020 semester rather than risk their health by traveling.
Sophomore and housemate to Talsania, Lily Pieper, went home for spring break in MN but returned to Peoria mid-March to keep her grandparents, whom she lived with in MN, safe.
“I know I will have to leave the house more than them,” Pieper explains. “So I’d rather stay in Peoria and not expose them.”
Pieper hopes she will be able to return sometime before the start of the next school year, “for a weekend if nothing else.” Although she is already moved in, she wants to take a break from campus before having to start school back up again for her junior year.
But while Pieper has the option of driving home relatively easily, Talsania is still hoping to take a plane and avoid the 14-hour drive back to NY.
“I’m waiting it out right now, but it’s definitely rough,” Talsania confesses. “Things are so up in the air right now.”
When asked if he thought he would be coming back in the fall in light of the chaos, Talsania laughed. “We’ll see,” he replied.
Brenna Fuhr 