Face Masks...How Do We Feel About Them?

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Once COVID-19 hit the world in early 2020, stay at home orders were issued and face masks were introduced as a new way of living. One year later, things are opening up again but with restrictions and that includes the oh so famous face masks. In August 2021, many college campuses announced the return of in-person class BUT face masks were to be mandatory for students and faculty.

They are meant to protect us from COVID-19 and stop the spread. With all of these rules about masks, especially in schools and workplaces, has anyone stopped to ask how we actually feel about face masks?

It is no surprise that there are very divided opinions on if there should be mask mandates but I dig deeper and ask people why they feel the way they do about face masks. I was fortunate enough to interview Barry University student, Antonia Mobley. She is a graduating senior and is in the accelerated nursing program.

When asked how she felt when face masks were suggested to help with COVID-19, she was relieved to hear this idea.

“I thought it was a great way to stop the spread and it would be effective,” said Mobley.

Although the concept of face masks were foreign to many, it soon became a part of our everyday lives. Whether it was going to the grocery store or having a nice dinner at a restaurant, masks always had to be on each person. Even those who participate in sports had to adapt to what could be considered as an extension of the body.

“It was difficult for me to become normal with it, especially being in a sport,” Barry student and Top Gun cheerleader, Erica Huck says.

She goes on to say that wearing a mask while doing physical activity is difficult.

Mobley agrees, when asked if she liked wearing masks she honestly said no because of the toll it takes on your body while moving.

“Walking across campus in the hot sun, it’s very hard to breathe,” says Mobley.

There are many students that agree with both Huck and Mobley. Walking outside there are little to no one wearing their masks until they are walking inside a building.

While it seems that no one really knows when we can stop ordering disposable masks in bulk or throw out our fashionable ones, people (including Mobley) still believe that wearing masks will help us slow and eventually stop the spread of COVID-19.

“I feel like they should definitely be mandatory at schools, universities or at work in public places,” says Mobley, “A student goes on vacation, goes home and contracts COVID and he comes back to the campus and they spread it to other students then we have to shut down the campus. So that creates a problem for students safety, faculty safety, just the safety of the whole campus.