What is it really like to simultaneously facilitate community and safety on campus? This year, DU’s Residential Assistants (RA’s) and housing staff are on the front lines of a pandemic working to create positive experiences for the residents on campus. 

Brandon Paine and Ade Wijaya, both current RAs on campus, expressed the goals of the position have changed this year. However, both remain excited and committed to their roles helping freshmen adjust and keeping campus safe. 

In an interview with the Clarion, Paine expressed how his residents are actively encouraging one another and trying to uphold university protocol. He even repeated one popular quote amongst his residents: “The best way to get back to normal is to do everything right now to ensure there will be one, one day.”  

Working as an RA for the second year, Wijaya was able to speak on the position as it evolved since last year. Wijaya explained that he came back this year because he “fell in love with helping out the freshmen students” and has found this year “hard with how much more [the freshmen] have to take on, but they are willing to because they want people to be safe and have a good experience.” Even though RA numbers continue to fluctuate due to coronavirus  concerns, Wijaya does express that “everyone is being a lot more understanding than pre-COVID-19 times.” 

However, RAs said that these physical demands were the most challenging pieces of the new school year. Wijaya fears “crack[ing] down on people for trying to make friends,” even though the typical means for socializing is not a part of proper safety outlines. 

In the dorms, RAs have to break up groups of more than two students in a room. Luckily, Paine mentioned that he is “seeing [his] residents really embrace the situation they are in and help each other out.” In Wijaya’s hall, residents are staying positive by knocking on doors to say hello to others while physically distancing themselves. In Wijaya’s and Paine’s halls, residents are working hard to follow the university health guidelines and encouraging their friends to do the same. Wijaya and Paine stated they feel surprised by freshmen’s initiative to enthusiastically create community.

Paine, who is in his first year as an RA, clearly stated that the people are what drew him into this job as well. He made the joke that this role suddenly made him “a father of 26.” 

For him, even though the job looks different now than when he applied, it is still a chance to “do good in people’s lives, support them and give them someone to talk to.” Though he does admit that the room and board are nice bonuses, he finds genuine value in the position because he is “a Christian and sees this as an opportunity to show God’s love to people.”  

RAs are taking steps not only in their halls, but also in how they live their lives outside the dorms to maintain the safety of their residents. They are taking advantage of asynchronous classes to prioritize time management, effectively do their jobs and complete school work. 

On high-stress days, Paine likes to do something he loves and remind himself there is always hope. All in all, Paine wants the DU community to “support RAs, since [they] are really trying.”