WATERLOO -- Campuses will be a lot quieter at post-secondary institutions around Waterloo Region.

Normally hundreds of students would be moving into residence or off-campus housing to start the year, but the COVID-19 pandemic means most students are studying at home.

A handful of students were moving in to their new suites on Friday. Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo have both extended move-in days to allow students to come into the buildings in waves.

"It seems quite empty for sure, not many people at all coming in," first-year student Cooper Barron said.

It's a different experience than he expected.

"When I moved my other son in, it was more waiting for elevators because so many people were loading," Barron's mother, Linda Early-Barron, said. "Right now, we're not running into anyone or any situation like that."

Campuses are a lot quieter during the pandemic.

"We wanted to make sure it was a really safe process, we've extended our move-in over about two weeks," said Chris Read, associate provost of students at the UW.

Usually UW would expect around 7,000 students living on campus. This year, however, that's not the case.

"We expect to be around 2,000 students living with us in residence on campus," Read said.

Wilfrid Laurier Universityis facing a similar situation where residences are reduced to half capacity.

"We have transitioned students to single-dwelling opportunities, which allows one student to be in a double space," said Kate McCrae Bristol, dean of students at WLU.

The universities said they're working to create a welcoming, but safe, environment.

"There will be no common room spaces available for students to use," McCrae Bristol said. "There will be tighter restrictions on how students move through the space."

Students are also preparing for a virtual school year.

"It's weird living on campus, not being able to go into the campus or go to lectures," said second-year WLU student Alyssa Arnott. "I don't know how I'm going to handle it yet, it's weird."

"It's been very quiet around here, not a lot of students," third-year student Curtis Armstrong said.

Barron said he's disappointed he won't get the full first-year experience, but is excited to start the next chapter in his life.

"It'll be a unique experience," he said.

Both universities said orientation and frosh week will go ahead online this year.