SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va- The Clarion Hotel and Conference center has been home to many Shepherd University students for the fall 2020 semester. Due to the nationwide pandemic, the university reduced the number of students allowed per resident hall.
Dormitory halls like Shaw and Thacher used to have two students per room and has been reduced to one per room. Every student gets a single room but pays the price of a double. At the Clarion the same thing is being done.
At the Clarion hotel each student gets a room with two queen beds or one king. Each room comes with a mini-fridge, microwave, and an on-suite bathroom.
“It was a tough adjustment at first, I was a little scared and nervous but it grew on me,” said Jade Trabilsy
“I liked the actual room itself, it was very nice compared to the actual dorms but I moved because of the internet and because it felt so disconnected from campus and was a hassle coming to and from campus,” said former Clarion resident Dylan Bishop.
The thought of living in a hotel might seem sweet at first but, the stay at the Clarion for students is not like your average stay at a hotel. There is no room services or complimentary breakfast. Students do not even have access to the pool or gym.
Every student is responsible for cleaning their own room and bathroom. Students are also responsible for bringing their own bedding and toiletries. As for food, they are not required to purchase a meal plan.
Trabilsy who has been a resident at the Clarion for 3 moths now said, “I really do enjoy it!”
“It is a lot of self discipline based nobody cleans your room, nobody cleans your bathroom its all up to you to figure out how you are going to maintain it,” said Trabilsy.
However, students still have to come to campus for food. As for transportation, there is a shuttle that transports them from the Clarion to campus.
Students with cars still have to pay for the residential parking even though they aren’t on campus. With the residential parking permit, you can only park in certain lots located on the west side of campus. we can combine these two graphs to make one.
Trabilsy also said the bus comes almost every 30-40 minutes.
Clarion resident Christopher Hicks says “It’s been nice!, I like that I am away from campus in case of rising COVID cases”. He then continued “I really would prefer if it were easier to get food and reliable internet.”
With Thanksgiving break coming up, residents are allowed to stay at the hotel for no extra cost.
However, beginning Dec.12, students will be billed $25 a day for extended stay, unless it is a school related activity. As for now, resident life is not sure if they will continue to house students at the Clarion in the spring.
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