This has been a school year like none other, and it’s hard to believe that the semester is ending in a few weeks. Classes and exams will be winding down, and students are eagerly looking ahead to their summer plans. Traveling is a popular plan for many, especially since vaccinated families now have more opportunities and flexibility than last year. Let’s take a look at some students’ travel plans and how they are planning to stay safe this summer.

Bryce Lesinski, ‘23, is planning to drive to Michigan Tech to participate in an engineering camp. 

“For the drive, I’m going with just my family for six hrs, so it should be pretty safe,” he said. As for campus procedures, everyone is “required to stay six feet apart and wear masks at all times” and meals will be eaten “outdoors or further than six feet apart indoors.

“Housing will either be single or double-occupancy dorm rooms depending on how the COVID situation develops over the next few months. It is also a possibility that vaccinations will be required,” Lesinski said.

Bri O’Brien, ‘23, is flying to Boston and planning to spend “three to four nights each in Newport, Rhode Island; White Mountains National Forest, New Hampshire; and Bangor, Maine.” 

To keep their trip COVID safe, O’Brien will be “staying at AirBnBs instead of hotels, and planning mostly outdoor activities instead of spending…time in the cities.” 

O’Brien’s family is especially looking forward to visiting the White Mountains and Acadia National Park, as “both are really pretty hiking spots,” she said. 

Claire Acheson, ‘22, is going to Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan. 

“It’s a music camp where I’ll be ‘majoring’ in orchestra and ‘minoring’ in conducting! It’s like a normal summer camp, just music-based,” Acheson said. 

 She hasn’t decided whether she’ll be driving or flying, but she plans to “wear a mask at all times” and “stay six feet apart” regardless. 

Last summer, Acheson also drove to Michigan to visit her grandmother. 

“We drove ourselves and wore masks and distanced ourselves the whole time, even with my grandma,” she said.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends getting fully vaccinated before traveling. Unvaccinated people are encouraged to get COVID tested before traveling, and both vaccinated and unvaccinated people should continue to take safety precautions such as wearing a mask, staying six feet apart, and washing hands frequently.

According to the CDC, travelers should “Follow all state, local, and territorial travel restrictions. If traveling by air, check if your airline requires any health information, testing, or other documents.”

Overall, students should continue to wear masks, especially when flying and spending time around those outside of immediate family. Look into alternatives to hotels, such as AirBnBs or other accommodations with safer COVID protocols. Keep in mind what sort of activities one is planning, and try to stick to the outdoors when possible. Remember to stay away from crowds, maintain social distancing, and wash one’s hands often. Travel safely, and happy summer!