The global COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed the lives of seven billion people in the world. As a result, college students are just one of the many groups learning to adapt to this new normal. How did a virus begin with one person in Wuhan, China, affect the very own lives of ourselves and our loved ones?
In the “ASU Student Diaries” series, we will change our lenses and view the surroundings of ASU students all over the world; whether it’s a student living on campus, at home, out of state, or even outside of the U.S., all to catch a glimpse of how they are acclimating while getting their education during this pandemic.
Missed Part I? Catch up here!
Part II
Brittany Perez-Montoya is a Freshmen living at Taylor Place, the downtown Phoenix resistance hall. She is an honor student majoring in integrative health, on the path to nursing.
“Nursing is definitely my calling. I really like how you get more direct contact with the patients, and just being a support to them is what I look forward to in this profession,” Montoya said.
Like the majority, Montoya has faced many obstacles due to the pandemic. One activity she is exceptionally passionate about is swimming, which came to a halt as the pandemic began.
“During my last semester of senior year, I had to quit swimming – a sport that filled up most of my days,” Montoya said. “Swim practices normally ran from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. and on meet days, it would be longer. In the beginning, I was upset because I couldn’t swim but now, if I look at this in a positive light, it made me focus on school even more because I don’t have any commitments other than classes.”
Montoya remembers quite the hassle with moving into her dorm.
“It was quite a few steps – you had to complete each of them to move in. It was a whirlwind of reservations for signing in, picking up your key, and so on. And of course, it was the right thing for Taylor Place to do in order to have a safe move-in day.”
She sensed that living on campus would be altered in some ways, but she said she faced some unexpected changes.
“Honestly, I knew that large gatherings could be difficult, but I looked forward to at least getting the chance to meet the people on my floor. Since there were no welcome events or little icebreakers, it was harder to make friends in the beginning.”
Nonetheless, she recognized the importance of meeting new people, so she had to make an effort to reach out first – a rather new concept for her.
“If I could give one advice for someone like me who was apprehensive of making new friends in this environment, I would say to be confident. I know it’s cliche but I realized that most people are feeling the same way as me, it’s just a matter of time,” Montoya said.
Despite the challenges, Montoya has tried to make it work.
“Even though we’re not permitted to gather around with each other, I did make some friends with the people on my floor. And I also try to keep my days filled with commitments so I don’t feel bored.”
With the advice of a friend, shortly after the semester started, she joined the Young Life Ministry, a religion-based club with an ASU chapter.
“I love the Young Life club at ASU that meets three times a week,” Montoya said. “Everyone is so welcoming and the atmosphere makes you feel warm. Because I’m surrounded by positive influences around me, it’s actually made me feel more motivated academically and personally.”
Though a socially distanced life can have its lulls, Montoya still has a routine to get her through. Her days begin at 7 a.m. when she goes to get breakfast at the dining hall, which looks a little different than years prior.
“Instead of walking in any direction and sitting with people, there are blue tape markings on the floor that’s required to walk on when going around the dining hall,” Montoya said.
After breakfast, she finds herself doing her makeup, changing clothes and getting her desk ready for class. Once the class is over, she takes a break by watching Netflix as she munches on snacks.
With multiple classes a day, it can be hard to find the time for everything, like going to the tutoring center.
“I’m taking five classes right now plus Chemistry that has a lab with recitation after,” Montoya said. “All of my classes are good so far, but I’m having a hard time understanding Chemistry, which is why I go to tutoring.”
“I was also nervous about navigating canvas and Zoom sites for the first time, but my professors have made it easier by explaining in-depth about them – it’s not as intimidating as I thought,” she added.
Once her classes are done for the day, Montoya makes an appointment for the gym. The maximum time she can spend is 50 minutes and the capacity is set for 13 people. After her workout, she goes back into her dorm and falls asleep around 11 p.m., having crammed in quite a bit over her 16-hour day.
Like many students, Montoya spends the weekends at home with her family. From Friday to Sunday, she stays with her parents in Maryvale, a 20-minute drive from downtown.
“I’m sometimes worried that I might be carrying the virus every time I go back home to my parents,” Montoya said. “I’m relieved all the students do wear masks but since we’re all in close proximity to one another, especially on elevators, I do feel anxious at times. Luckily though, none of my family members have pre-existing conditions that may put them in a higher risk category for coronavirus.”
Despite the stress the pandemic puts on top of an already demanding workload, Montoya is aiming to be positive and grateful as she goes on with the semester.
“It’s been a chaotic year and I’ve learned an abundance during this time. It’s strange how this is the norm now of remembering to wash your hands constantly, making sure you’re social distancing at the grocery store, (no more) in-person classes, and dorms while wearing a mask – but I think we’ve all grown from this time and are more appreciative of the moments before the pandemic came upon us.”
Contact the reporter at yhan99@asu.edu.
Yoori Han was the politics editor at Downtown Devil during fall 2021 and part of spring 2022.
