The bustling halls of Conrad Grebel University College were quieted at the end of March as residents packed up and staff began working from home. However, a few people stayed behind in the empty halls. The Campus Hosts (known in past years as Senior Residents), Faith and Colin Friesen, and their two-year-old daughter Ronen, have lived in their Grebel residence apartment throughout the transition. Campus Hosts are Student Services staff that live on-campus to provide a constant staff presence, monitoring the building and supporting the residence Dons. “For students, our role can often take the form of a big brother or big sister relationship, where we offer a safe, welcoming space in our apartment and an ear to listen whenever they need it,” they explained.
The Campus Hosts shared how the week of resident departures “felt simultaneously like a single moment and a whole year had passed.” With Colin taking immunosuppressants for a chronic illness and Ronen being so young, they were forced to isolate from the community during this major transition. In the midst of a constant stream of new information, the family was confined to their apartment, only communicating virtually with the Don Team and other Student Services staff members. “We felt awful that we couldn't say goodbye in person and couldn't help more,” they shared. Colin and Faith explained that the Dons were crucial during the move-out period. “They stepped up and went above and beyond the call of duty to make the transition as smooth as possible without the presence of leadership they were used to. We couldn't have been more proud of them.”
“In some ways, it feels like a big empty mansion. It's kind of fun to have the place to yourself, but you know that's not what it was designed for.”
Colin and Faith have experienced an empty residence briefly between university terms, but never to this extent. “In some ways, it feels like a big empty mansion. It's kind of fun to have the place to yourself, but you know that's not what it was designed for.” They shared how the College atmosphere feels far different from the short-term empty halls of term changes. “The response to the pandemic is on a whole different level. It's still a little shocking to the system.” However, even if Faith and Colin can’t visit them, “it's nice to have some students living in isolation in the nearby Grebel apartments, which enable more realistic physical distancing.”
While Ronen is too young to fully grasp the situation, Faith and Colin noted that “she does notice that the people are gone.” Even though they’re “sad that she's missing out on all the friendships she had been developing here,” Ronen’s parents “think she'll bounce back when things stabilize.” They shared how some students are keeping in touch during the separation by “sending her update videos on where they've been and what they've been doing,” and Ronen hasn’t forgotten her friends, “she names them all and asks for more videos!”
“We miss Community Supper. We miss Grebel events. We miss laughter in the halls, long chats over coffee and tea, movie nights, and chapel services. There's a beating heart here at Grebel and it feels awfully faint now.”
The common sentiment of longing for the Grebel community is shared by students at home during this time. Colin and Faith explained how they feel the absence of community most deeply in the little things that made up the College’s routine. “We miss Community Supper. We miss Grebel events. We miss laughter in the halls, long chats over coffee and tea, movie nights, and chapel services. There's a beating heart here at Grebel and it feels awfully faint now.” As they try to focus on the positive side of quieter nights, the Campus Hosts look forward to living in community once again. “We remain content because we know this is temporary. Someday, hopefully, sooner than we think, Grebel will be filled once again.” The couple is thankful for the support many Grebelites have offered as they deal with their own limitations. “We're happy to have a home to stay during all of this. With family far away, Grebel has been a godsend to us.”
