CORONAVIRUS CAMPUS DIARIES: What it's like to be a college student in the US during the coronavirus pandemic

A new school year is here and colleges across the US are reopening for another academic year. The fall 2020 semester in the US, however, looks very different because of the coronavirus pandemic — think takeout meals collected from dining halls, regular COVID tests, and classes held in football stadiums.

Some schools are offering a hybrid course, some are still mostly online, while others, like Notre Dame University, have transitioned to in-person classes.

Insider spoke to several college students, who shared photo diaries and first-hand accounts of their lives to provide an intimate look at like on campus this during the pandemic. Here are their stories.

Janet Hernandez, a Harvard freshman living in the dorms and attending in-person classes

Hernandez had to get tested in a tent at the science center when she first arrived at the school and went through several phases of quarantine before she was allowed to walk around campus and see her friends.

Natalie Todaro, a Notre Dame sophomore who's taking classes in the school's football stadium

Todaro has been attending classes in unconventional spots all over campus, like the football stadium and the campus ballroom.

Daniel Ra, a graduate student at Cornell who snapped jarring photos of the empty campus on his first day back at school

The graduate student compared the return to finals week. "It feels like you're the last person to leave for winter break," Ra told Insider. "You're on campus and everyone is leaving or gone."

Dorothy Akpovwa, a sophmore at New York University, who spent 2 weeks quarantined in a dorm room

Akpovwa had to go through two rounds of coronavirus testing before she could attend in-person classes. The in-person classes are socially distanced and require face coverings.

Justin Lee, a senior at the University of California, Berkeley, who gets tested for coronavirus every 3 weeks

While most of Lee's classes are online, he still has to go to the college campus for his lab work. He had to secure a permission slip from the college administration to be able to be allowed on campus.

Rodrigo Castillo Vasquez, an international Ph.D. student at the University of Texas who's taking classes via Zoom and Canvas

Vasquez has been studying, teaching, and attending group activities from his room in Austin, Texas. He said he deleted Instagram from his phone to keep him focused.

Montse Longoria, a Cornell University junior who lives in a house with 6 other students

Longoria, a hotel administration major, is currently taking two courses in person. She's also taking a culinary class in a hyrid format.