It feels good to be back, Wildcats. We weren’t really sure this week would come, but it feels amazing to be back on campus with all of you.

We know you have heard this before, but students to students, we are asking you to pledge yourself to The CARITAS Commitment. This semester will not work unless we all promise to put the health and safety of our community first. 

The University had faith in us. They made a calculated decision to bring us back to campus, put regulations in place and set up guidelines for the year. With that in mind, we all need to do our part.

Colleges and universities across the nation are already sending students home. Some did not even bring students back to campus. It’s safe to say that most of us will always remember how sad we were to leave the University last March to go home, and we certainly do not want to do that again. 

As a community, we are watching the coronavirus take its toll on our friends, families, mentors and teachers. As of Tuesday, we have already seen our first case within the immediate student body. If we aren’t careful about our decisions, this virus could soon affect all of us, in more ways than it already has.

Students are already being sent home for not following health and safety guidelines. The administration isn’t joking when it comes to this. 

We are more than happy to be back with our friends and Villanova family, but to stay here, we need to make smarter decisions. We need to wear masks, stay distanced, prioritize health, stay safe and remember why we are lucky to be here. We are lucky to be back because Villanova believes in its students, faculty and staff.

Although there is faith, staying here will take more than that alone The University is working closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and CDC to ensure that as a community, we are also looking at facts and figures to determine our course of action.

With one weekend down and so many to go, keep your circles small. Figure out new ways to spend time with your friends in a safe way. 

College is all about learning new things and meeting new people, but we promise you that a big party can wait. Simply, it isn’t worth the risk of having to spend another nine months taking classes in our bedrooms at home.  

Let’s stay smart, ‘Cats.

Let’s prove them wrong.