On June 8, several colleges and universities in Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei province, welcomed their first batch of senior students returning to school from home after the lengthy winter vacation, WeChat account of China Youth Daily reported on June 8.

These students have received a warm welcome and thoughtful care from their universities as if they were freshmen, with many universities picking up students at train stations and airports, as well as providing health kits for all returning students.

Wuhan University prepared academic gowns, specially designed souvenir T-shirts and health kits for returning senior students, and even picked them up with special coaches at the train stations and Tianhe airport.

With brightly colored flags fluttering in the breeze and banners with heart-warming and inspiring words seen throughout the campus, the returning seniors feel that they have been welcomed warmly and solemnly as if this is their first year at the university.

“No matter how long our journey will be and how long we will be apart from each other, we will always be part of Wuhan University,” read a banner in the campus of Wuhan University.

“As you embark on a new journey in 2020, remember that the School of Philosophy will always be your home,” read a banner from the School of Philosophy of Wuhan University.

Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) set up sunshades that are usually used during freshmen registration days and established a pathway dedicated to returning graduating students, with electric fans set up along the way to help students stay cool during the hot weather.

A sophomore at the university said that the arrangements looked just like what she had seen when she first entered the school as a freshman.

The university did intend to welcome its graduating students the way it welcomes freshmen, stressed an executive of HUST.

Tongji Medical College of HUST conducted nucleic acid testing for COVID-19 on every returning student before they could enter the campus. The college has also provided a health kit and a 100-yuan meal subsidy (about $14.2) to each student.

Huazhong Agricultural University has followed the rule of “targeted measures and exclusive file for each student”, and made efforts to create a “special route map” for every student who would return to the university from home.

The university prepared a health kit that could last for two weeks for every student, with the articles in the kit including a thermometer, 20 face masks, a handbook on matters that need attention after students’ return to school and materials containing epidemic-prevention tips.

The university also prepared tents and raincoats for students for fear that they might return on a rainy day.