Taylor Payne

Taylor Payne, an Arizona State University junior, says she chose to live on campus despite being at risk for COVID-19 for the educational and emotional benefits of being near her peers and support circle.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed how Arizona State University students experience living in the dorms. Students were required to test negative for COVID-19 before they could move in. Currently, there are 323 students are in isolation on the Tempe campus, according to the latest testing data from ASU as of this publication. ASU did not specific how many students are in isolation in its downtown Phoenix or West campuses, or which dorms those students reside in. 

ASU junior Taylor Payne, who has lived at Taylor Place residence hall in the downtown Phoenix campus since her first year, said she chose to return to the dorms this year despite being at high risk for COVID-19, because she wants to be near her peers and support circle. When classes went remote after spring break, Payne stayed home in St. Louis and found it difficult to do the classes from a distance.

"I was lucky if I could get someone to pick up a Facetime call with a time difference whereas now we can be socially distant and meet at a coffee shop," Payne said.

But she admits that living on-campus this semester is quite different than what she's been used to. 

"There’s not a bunch of people sitting around eating everywhere because we can’t do that inside, everything is takeout style, but we are definitely finding ways to connect as fellow residents," Payne said. 

So far, she feels her fellow residents are being responsible and complying with the protocols set in place.