By David Papa and Dylan Cho
American University student employees back on campus this summer are excited to be working in person after more than a year learning online.
Students working at The Bridge and the Davenport coffee shops on campus said the covid pandemic took away their social lives as schools turned to virtual learning in March of 2020.
“I’ve been in classes online for the majority of my time in college, so I think the worst part was missing out on the in-person experience,” said Ignacio Gimeno, a barista at The Bridge Cafe. He has worked there in person for three months and he took the job after a friend recommended it to him.
Sophie Gilpin, a barista at The Davenport Coffee Lounge, said she experienced burnout from all the isolation she endured during the last year. “It’s been a lot of screen time,” Gilpin said. She has now been working on campus for two months.
Ben Johansen, another barista from The Bridge Cafe, said he missed out on in-person learning opportunities and on building a connection with his professors. “It was really different,” Johansen said.
For Gimeno and the other student employees, the balance between studying remotely and working in person has been challenging. “I think it’s easy to get discouraged by classes, and so it’s easy to spend less time on them and more time on social life,” Gimeno said. “You have to keep reminding yourself that you’re still in class and your grades are still important.”
Gilpin said during the pandemic, “it’s become more about work than school.” Johansen also said his school workload during the last year was a lot less intense, so it was easy to get distracted.
AU is fully open this fall with faculty, staff and students returning for in-person learning. Students will be able to live on campus, and be able to use general facilities, with masks and social distancing to be maintained.
For the three baristas, the best thing about their job is the people. And with students coming back in-person this fall, the fun is only beginning. “The best thing about working here is meeting new people every day. On peak days we can get a few hundred people in, and it’s nice to talk to new people after having been stuck at home for the last year,” Gimeno said. “It’s really nice to see new faces.”