The Fall 2020 semester on Penn State’s main campus has been a weird one indeed. Going to school in the middle of a pandemic is so incredibly different, and it can be difficult to adjust to in the beginning. Regardless, we are given very simple requirements in order for us to stay on campus: mask up or pack up. All students are required to wear a mask when walking through the campus, and especially before entering buildings or classrooms.
Within my first few weeks back on campus, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of students I saw socially distancing and actually wearing masks. Of course, there are always the stray individuals who choose to wear their mask incorrectly or will just not wear one at all, but for the most part, I was pleased. I had very low expectations for this semester. In fact, I had only planned to stay for two weeks, expecting to be sent home soon after the start of the semester. However, we are currently on week nine or ten, and I do not see us going home any time soon.
So, the responsibility of keeping the University Park bubble safe relies solely on the students. This responsibility is one I thought we were capable of handling, until I took a trip downtown on a late Friday evening to find something to eat. I was completely bewildered by the amount of people I had seen walking around without masks and dressed in party clothes, traveling up and down the streets in large groups, likely searching for the nearest hang out.
Dear Penn State students: parties can wait! Not only are you putting your own lives in danger, but you are also putting those around you at risk. We are not invincible, and this virus is not something to take lightly.
Lives have already been lost, and one event of people standing and staring at each other is not worth the possibility of more people being affected by COVID. If you take the initiative to make radical decisions that are best for you and others – like avoiding large parties, for example – we can all get one step closer to overcoming the pandemic. This virus is bigger than us, and it affects more people than you know; we cannot be selfish here.
The easiest way to avoid parties is simply to stay home. However, you can still plan a night in with your roommates or a small group with whom you feel safe. There are several fun activities that can be done in the comfort of your own space without putting yourself or others at risk. Being sent home is the best possible consequence of this unsafe behavior. Unfortunately, the virus affects people in many different ways, and partying downtown is not worth the potential repercussions, which can include harm to others.
The parties can wait. Keep practicing social distancing, stay in small groups, and wear a mask in public. Be considerate of those around you, and help stop the spread of the virus on campus.