I've asked myself that question every day since taking my post. The main aspect of Western's community involves the orientation program. Various things we operate offer that connectedness and the bonds that form as a result of many of the programs we're offering.
To directly answer your question on advice, I've been attempting to do this myself as I've been working in this new Zoom paradigm and that is to take time for myself. There need to be opportunities for rest and for people to get away from looking at their screens for 10-plus hours a day.
My advice to students would still be to reach out in any way possible to their loved ones and their friends, especially as they're coming onto our campus. A big task on our plate—and we're working with our vice-president of student support and programming on this—is to work toward online programming that can create these connections and relationships that last your entire university experience.
My advice is that we take care of ourselves and our loved ones.