Entering college in the midst of a global pandemic is something that my family and I never saw coming, much like any other college student during this time. I had much deliberation and debate with my family as to whether I would live on-campus or stay at home for my Fall semester. On a whim, I decided to come to campus. Much to my expectations, it was very different from what I thought college would be. Civic life as a whole has been disrupted during this pandemic, much less the experience of Penn State students.
Students living on-campus at Penn State have had to face considerable adjustments in order to go about our daily lives. We have to wear face masks whenever we exit our dorms, remain six feet apart, and take the vast majority of our classes over Zoom. It is mentally straining to not only worry about our schoolwork but to also worry about potentially contracting a deadly virus on top of it all.
Everybody at Penn State is expected to be model students and staff, but this year it is quite nearly impossible to be that. We are bombarded with new rules and endless work nearly every day. Our civic life has become increasingly more hostile, as we are hardly ever allowed to see each other unless we are six feet away.
What is disheartening, in my opinion, are the students who refuse the very basic protocol that is to wear a mask and to socially distance themselves in public. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen students walking around the halls with their masks half on, or not on at all. I cannot express how many times students have ignored the ‘six feet apart’ signs on the ground while waiting for their dining hall dinner. All the while, we continue to try to function as a Penn State community.
These social norms are new, but they are placed to ensure our safety. We only know the tip of the iceberg of how destructive COVID-19 is to the human body, blind to its actual long-term effects. Yes, civic life has changed, but it could be a temporary change if we all agreed to cooperate and respect each other. My first semester as a freshman in college was far from what I expected it to be due to this pandemic, but I believe it could have been somewhat normal if we all would have cooperated or agreed to a longer lockdown period back in March.
Please thoroughly wash your hands, wear a mask, and avoid large groups. Stay safe!
