Partying in the Time of Covid

Parties at Champlain College have nearly become a thing of the past due to the presence of COVID-19, which continues to spread in the United States and Burlington.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been fewer and fewer large gatherings and parties at Champlain College. This is due largely to the social distancing guidelines set in place, which has caused many students to stay in their residence halls or at home this semester rather than venture out for a night on the town.

The head of Campus Public Safety (CPS) at Champlain College, Bruce Bovat, when asked whether or not drinking and partying has decreased since the pandemic, said “It stands to reason that our call volume, to include calls involving alcohol and marijuana, has decreased due to fewer people on campus, greater break times and COVID restrictions related to the health pledge.”

Additionally, when asked about how frequently CPS has to respond to incidents regarding large gatherings and concerns regarding students not following COVID-19 related policies, Bruce Bovat stated, “We have had a few instances in which individuals have gathered in violation of the health pledge, but our student body as a whole appears committed to adhering to the health pledge and staying safe.”

According to an article from U.S. News and World Report, not only has the pandemic cut into parties on campus but furthermore, it has cut into college drinking. The study shows that on average, college students are drinking much less than before the pandemic. This is likely a result of the lack of parties and large gatherings on campus as college drinking is most often a social activity. With fewer social events, students are less likely to be drinking while on campus.

By Natan Eliezer, Skylar Elliott, Henry Kenyon

Back to Homepage