Corona on Campus

Kavya took a deep breath and released it—exhaling deeply—just as her mother, a yoga teacher, had taught her to do. Last month she had finally set foot at the University of Miami campus—a day she’d been dreaming of since she entered high school.

True, college no longer looked as it had when she’d toured the campus in April 2015 with her mom and brother—at that time, crowds blocked the hallways and stairs. Kids here, kids there, everywhere, laughing, shouting, rushing to and fro, greeting one another, and talking over their plans for the school year. She’d spent the time roaming around, familiarizing herself with the layout of the campus, and learning the names of the various fraternities and the buildings where they were housed—some old and vine-clad, others new and shiny in the sun.