Melody Battista (right, purple top) is an office assistant in Counseling Services. She has worked at UB for 11 years, the past two in Counseling Services.

What do you miss most about work before the pandemic? Before the pandemic, our office was very busy. I miss seeing the faces of students. The majority of our counselors have been working from home, so it has been very quiet in our building. I miss the daily interactions with my fellow employees the most.

What helps get you through the day at work now? I’m one of three office assistants in our office every day. Because of social distancing we must stay six feet apart at all times, but between the three of us we have continued to answer vital phone calls and assist students and campus employees with resources, transfer calls to counselors, and schedule and reschedule appointments.

What would you like folks working from home to know about what it’s like working on campus now? Since being on campus during the pandemic, I’ve noticed the wildlife around our building (Richmond Quad, Ellicott Complex) has become very active and has been flourishing. I’ve never seen so many different species of birds around our campus. It has been very calming and peaceful to watch.