The moment when: SU students share memories from start of the pandemic Emily Steinberger | Photo Editor Several students recall leaving campus after the pandemic first hit, and later realizing how serious it would become. Facebook Subscribe to our newsletter here. An empty dorm room. A quiet drive home. A late night in front of the television. Most people have that one specific memory from the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic — the instant they realized that the virus wasn’t just a blip on the radar but a serious disaster with far-ranging consequences. The Daily Orange spoke with six Syracuse University students about the moment they realized the extent to which COVID-19 would reshape their world: