The Student Collective Volume VII Issue I

The crescent
2020-2021
Freshman Dorms: Fostering
Covid-Friendly Community in Gulley
Reported by: Molly Giesbrecht
Photographed by: Imogene Eagan
College isn’t just about going to classes and earning a degree. It is also about finding a community,
making lasting friendships, and finding your place in life. This semester has presented a unique challenge
to the social aspect of college life due to COVID-19-related restrictions on gatherings and community
events. In an effort to develop and maintain a sense of community in dorms, Resident Assistants (RAs)
have come up with new ways to get students involved. Some have opted for larger, dorm-wide events
altered to follow regulations, while others are keeping things smaller and more personal. Delana Lincoln,
the women’s RA for Gulley 2, commented on the first community event the dorm held. It was a cereal
night, followed by a distanced dance party.
“We had pre-packaged cereals and pre-packaged milks, and we handed them out and then we sent
everyone outside and said, you know, make sure to socially distance while you’re eating. We set up chairs
outside and spikeball and cornhole and we just had a bunch of music going,” she said. “Then later in the
night we switched the music to more fun dance music and had that kind of atmosphere. So that was a
really fun organized event that we had that was COVID-friendly.”
Just across the hall, Nathan Brantingham, men’s RA for Gulley 2, has opted for a small-scale
approach to fostering community with his residents. “I have tried to develop community in little ways,
whether that be through sitting with different residents at meals, or chatting in the lobbies … I plan on
meeting with all my residents once per month to do one-on-one’s which is also something I’m looking
forward to. Just to be able to sit and work through things with residents that I went through as a freshman
is so fun for me,” Brantingham said.
Whether through playing lawn games outside, sitting on opposite couches in the lobby, or individual
hangouts and coffee dates, the first-year students living in Gulley have shown a strong determination and
resilience in developing friendships despite any obstacles that may be in their way.
The Student Collective 78