The return to campus has been a tough one for me, and I’m sure many of you could say the same. This time is certainly filled with a level of unease, everyone holding their breath when a professor makes statements like, “if we continue in-person.” Here are some tips to ease both the beginning of the semester and COVID anxieties.
1. Be honest on your Mason COVID Health Check
Mason students, faculty, staff and anyone who is on-campus are supposed to complete the Mason COVID Health Check. This is an easy and quick way to do your part to ensure everyone’s safety. Tools such as this survey are incredibly important for contact tracing purposes and so on.
2. Communicate with your professors about your comfort levels
It might be because I am a public health student, but I hope that everyone gets the resounding sense of support for personal safety that my professors have provided. If you are uncomfortable doing group work or being in close contact, tell your professor. The best thing we can all do is be transparent with one another.
3. Be kind to staff across campus
A large part of feeling safe in the on-campus environment is feeling respected. There has been an extremely high influx of students welcomed back to campus in the last few weeks. Lines at the JC are longer, and there are more people calling offices around campus. Individual employees are not responsible for this. They are simply trying to work through it the same as you. Be kind to restaurant workers, office staff and other employees on campus.
4. Wash your hands
Okay for these last few points I will be unleashing the public health student in me. As with many communicable or infectious diseases, one of the main ways to limit the spread is by washing your hands. Personally, I either wash my hands or use hand sanitizer after I leave every in-person class or on-campus building.
Especially with the greater number of students on campus, high contact surfaces are extremely hard to keep well sanitized. So wash your hands, please!
5. Get vaccinated
Mason is currently offering vaccinations for students at the MIX on the Fairfax Campus. If you are able to get vaccinated, please do so.
Stay healthy, collegiettes!