The freshman perspective: Reflecting on dorm life in the fall 2020 semester

Reilly Brady Staff Writer

After a semester unlike any other, many Washington University students, home for winter break, have been reflecting on their experiences in the dorms during this past semester.

This semester, students were housed in individual dorm rooms without roommates, leaving some in single rooms with multiple suitemates, some in doubles with one suitemate, and others in spacious doubles or triples with no suitemates. Students were also instructed to refrain from visiting other buildings, but students within the same building could visit each other as long as masks were worn and social distancing was maintained. The rules established this semester will be continued into the spring semester as well.

As a freshman living in the dorms this past semester, I spoke with freshman Maddie Dieffenbacher, a fellow resident and neighbor of mine on the second floor of Umrath, about the highs and lows of life in Wash. U. housing on our floor this past semester. Our conversation has been edited and shortened for clarity. REILLY BRADY: First of all, generally, how was dorm life for you? bigger than my regular room at home, so it was nice to be able to have space. And I had two desks, so especially in COVID times, studying in my room was not a problem at all, and it was also nice to have people over and have space to social distance. Even though I didn’t have [a suitemate], somebody I could share a bathroom with, I thought it was really nice. RB: With your triple, since you had all that space, did you reorganize your room at all to fit the area?

MD: I had three of every type of furniture. I used one desk to put a TV on and store plates and utensils and random food items. So that was one desk, and then the other two desks I used for school. One of the beds I made into a couch, and the other two I combined to make a big queen bed.

RB: I remember seeing it and being very impressed with your decorations. So you had the triple, and you had a lot of space that way, but did you feel like it was harder to meet people without a suitemate, or were you still able to meet people just as well as you think you would have with a suitemate?

MD: I think maybe the first week for meals, that was really the only disadvantage I had was not [having] someone easy to coordinate with, but after that, it really wasn’t bad at all. People were super friendly. Once I met people the first week, I didn’t mind taking the time to coordinate and find time to meet up with people, so it really wasn’t that big of a deal at the end of the day. RB: Especially with online classes, how much time were you spending in your dorm? Do you think it was more than if it had been a normal semester with in-person classes? MD: Oh, totally. I don’t know if this is regular, but because I had weekly quizzes in a bunch of classes, it was really nice to have a place where I knew it would be quiet and no one would be coming into my room. I came home after break, and it’s just one less thing to worry about when you know no one’s going to be coming in and out of your room. Not that a suitemate would be interrupting, but to have all of that space just for yourself was really nice for online classes, and I definitely think in a regular year, if I did have a roommate or a suitemate, I would be probably in the library a lot more than usual, [more] than I was this year. I think like most people, [my room] was the easiest because you didn’t have to walk anywhere. I could be pretty productive there just because there wasn’t a lot going on. RB: I understand that totally. I feel like I would have used the libraries more, too, but, my goto was just [the Bear’s Den] if I needed another space to work in, or otherwise the common room

or just my room. The common room is fun, but then if someone walks in, I’m going to start talking to them, obviously, and then I get so distracted. You mentioned, since you’re home now, have you noticed any differences from being at home versus being in the dorm room? MD: Well, the big thing is, in my chemistry exams, I get distracted very easily. And seeing my chemistry exam here, even though all the doors are closed, my neighbors [were] running around screaming at seven o’clock at night and so I was hearing them while I was taking my exam, and I had siblings [that] were home. I mean, at least in terms of distractions, for formal tests and quizzes, that kind of stuff, I much prefer being at school. But for homework, I didn’t think getting things done at home was too bad. I wasn’t here for too long, so it wasn’t terrible, but I don’t know if I’d be able to spend a whole semester. It seems very challenging to spend a whole semester being at home.

RB: For us, too, with the COVID-19 restrictions, we didn’t have roommates, so we were basically just by ourselves. So it’s a lot different to be home and have people always walking by or checking in on you. MD: And even though you had a suitemate, you still had a door to close, and I don’t think the walls were too thin. Did you feel that for the first week, you did a lot more things with your suitemate? Did what I said about the first week echo for you as well, or was it a little different?

RB: Well, I have to say, it was really nice to have [met my suitemate online before] going in, just because I could go to her if I had any questions about classes or just a really easy person to grab food with, so it was nice to have a suitemate in those first few weeks for sure. But I have to say I have gotten used to having my own independent space. I think it would be really weird if we switched to roommates this next semester, just because I’ve just gotten so used to having my messy areas and being okay with it. I just feel like it would be so MD: Oh, totally. And COVID adds a whole other layer. You’re not only thinking about yourself but also maybe somebody else. RB: Especially because you want to be as careful as possible for yourself but also for those around you. I’m always thinking about how anywhere I could have been could affect the other people I’m hanging out with, so, I totally get that. So, we talked about some of the distractions of being at home, but have there been any positives about being at home versus being in your dorm room? MD: Even though I have my own space, it’s really nice to have my sister and brother around just to not have to worry about that with family, so [I hope to have] a suitemate or a roommate in the future because I’ve enjoyed being able to hug somebody else. Just one less thing to worry about, it’s nice.

RB: That’s so true. It’s been kind of weird in one way too, though. I kept a mask on in my house until I got a COVID test, and I got it back yesterday, so I’ve had a day of just being around my family, and it’s kind of weird at first. I keep thinking, I need to put on my mask, sorry guys. But I don’t have to, at least for now, so that has been really nice, actually. Just to be able to be around them and know that we’ve all been super safe, and that anxiety of “What if someone you’ve been hanging out with has been somewhere?”—all of that is gone, and that was a lot of anxiety in the dorms. MD: Yes, I think so. That was the same for me. There’s a lot less stress in that way. RB: What are you most looking forward to next semester in terms of dorm life or returning to campus? MD: I’m most looking forward to being able to…COVID kind of determines it, but…a normal year. Especially with BD being closed, just eating, or sitting around, or hanging out more with people indoors, and I guess dorms are a good place to do that.