For the first time since March 2020, thousands of Penn students are living in on-campus housing. The University welcomed students back for the spring semester on Jan. 10, and the move-in period continued until Jan. 17. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, new restrictions and guidelines resulted in a move-in week unlike any other. Here's what it looked like.
A student pushed his move-in cart past the DuBois/Rodin/High Rise Field COVID-19 testing site, one of eight sites throughout Penn's campus, on Jan. 14.
Two members of the Student Move-In Team sat behind a map of the Quad, welcoming and guiding new students to their dorms.
A welcome letter and a tote bag filled with Penn masks awaited incoming students in their rooms.
The safety risks and accessibility barriers of COVID-19 added additional pressures to move-in this year.
Penn President Amy Gutmann (right) walked around campus on Jan. 14, greeting students and their families.
Students were permitted to bring a single guest and a maximum of two suitcases to move in.
With dining halls closed for indoor seating until further notice, many students chose to sit outside of Hill College House to eat lunch.
A family helped move their student into the Quad.
Students were able to take a cart for two hours to transport their belongings to their dorms.
Upon arrival, students were required to participate in gateway COVID-19 testing and quarantine in their dorms until they received their results. Pictured are students getting tested at the Annenberg Center testing site.
Students living on Penn's campus must abide by the Campus Compact, which requires social distancing for interactions. They also must follow the rules of the Quiet Period, which is in place until Feb. 1 and mandates that graduate and undergraduate students only leave their residences for essential activities.
