Dorm Life in the Midst of a Pandemic

Taesha Goode

The University of Utah Asia Campus has been taking maximum precautions against COVID-19 over the past two months. Members of the UAC community can find helpful prevention tips on the official UAC website. (Photo. University of Utah Asia Campus)

The 2019 Coronavirus, now formally known as COVID-19, has been worsening in locations
across the globe. Though the virus has recently been declared a pandemic by the World
Health Organization (WHO), the severity and number of cases has begun to lessen in South
Korea.

During the peak of the virus in Korea, close to half of the Incheon Global Campus student
population was living on-campus in the dormitories. Not only were students restricted to
specific doors when exiting and entering, they were, and still are, expected to wear masks at
all times moving throughout the general building.

For many students at the UAC, the experience has been an extremely isolating one. The
international student population was one of the many that was hit hard by this situation. An
anonymous UAC student described her feelings regarding the COVID-19 situation as
follows, “I feel like everything is closed down… It feels like a prison. We can’t do any
activities. We have to wear masks to even enter the dorm or else they yell at us. It’s just-
nobody is on campus, it’s so empty. It’s depressing.”

On the other hand, there have been students around campus actively seeking to make the
dormitory space welcoming and friendly. University of Utah Resident Advisor, Jackson
Mullins claimed, “These are complex times for students… Since I am an RA, I feel as though
I should be providing them with the best experience possible. I’m trying my best to make
sure my residents are connected with one another and able to do things together.”

Thus far, the Incheon Global Campus foundation has not provided any information regarding
a possible shut down of dormitories. They have, however, recently released a check-out and
refund policy, for those students who will be continuing their online classes from an off-
campus location.

With many schools on campus planning to reopen their doors for live classes next month, it is
imperative that we continue to take safety precautions, not only for ourselves but to better
protect those around us. Hand sanitizer is available at almost every exit and entrance around
campus and the UAC Resident Advisors will be hosting a D-I-Y hand sanitizer event on
March 17 th , 2020 on the first floor of the Utah building.