You know what they say about the best laid plans. In a sign of the times, Stanford University is reconsidering its decision to invite first-year students, sophomores, and first-year transfer students to Stanford’s campus this fall. The University, which planned to offer a limited number of in-person courses in the fall, recently announced that a final decision about the school’s fall plans will be reached in mid-August. Essentially, with spiking COVID-19 cases in California, the university needs more time to render a decision.

And just what will life on Stanford’s campus this fall look like if students are invited to The Farm? As Emma Talley writes in The Stanford Daily in a piece entitled “University considers rolling back plans to bring students to campus,” “If students are allowed to return to campus for fall quarter, several aspects of campus life will drastically change. During move-in, families and guests will not be allowed to enter residential or dining halls to assist students with moving. They will be asked to leave campus as soon as possible. Meals will be pre-packed, and students will have their temperatures checked and asked to wash their hands before entering dining halls. Campus events and parties will not be allowed, and even small gatherings could be limited. All undergraduates will be tested for COVID-19 twice during their first week on campus to minimize the likelihood of false negatives. The University plans ‘to continue to test students periodically throughout their 10-week stay on campus, and before they return to their homes.’ Students will all be asked to agree to a ‘campus compact,’ which will include expectations regarding behavior and education on campus.”

So, yes, it sounds like it’ll be a whole lot of fun to study at Stanford this coming fall — if indeed students are invited back to campus at all. But, of course, it’s not like it’ll be a whole lot of fun at any school this coming fall. Stanford just happens to have delineated a game plan for a possible return. Stay tuned for updates on Stanford’s fall plans!