Back to “Bro Time”? The Post-Pandemic Social Re-Entry of Men Living on Campus

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the ways that college men develop and interpret masculinity on campus. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, this study explores the experiences of 28 second- and third-year undergraduate men living in on-campus housing to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected masculinity and the socialization of college men. The data from semi-structured interviews revealed three overarching themes: navigating social life on campus, managing social re-entry, and redefining masculinity in shared spaces. Though participants noted the challenges associated with their social re-entry to campus, they also recognized an enhanced understanding of masculinity. The findings of this study provide important insight into how the pandemic has served as a catalyst for evolving definitions of masculinity and gender expectations in residential settings on campus.