Cover Photo from Joey Hill
In a time of the pandemic, UNC Asheville students show off their masks and why they wear them as well as encourage other students, faculty/staff, and on-campus visitors to wear a mask in order to get back to normal as efficiently possible. As a community, we need to work together to keep ourselves and others safe as well as be mindful of the expectations and rules for us to follow that are put in place to keep us safe.
Meadows is a junior studying management says that she wears a masks to keep other safe specifically her parents.
“I want to protect others from any illness I may have, and ensure that my immune-compromised parents are safe as well. This pandemic is not just about myself or them. It’s basically a large team effort that everyone needs to actively participate in.”
Stewart, a sophomore studying art and environmental studies, says she wears a mask in order to help prevent COVID, as well as have fun with it as a tool to express herself.
“I wear a mask because I feel it’s the least I can do to stop the spread. It doesn’t negatively impact me to wear one so I might as well. Also, it can be a fun form of self-expression.”
Wunder, a sophomore studying biology, chemistry, and german, explains she bases her mask-wearing habits on scientific data.
“While if I got COVID, I would likely survive without any adverse effects, I want to do my part in keeping my community safe. Scientists worldwide have published data that supports wearing masks so I will continue to comply.”
Wunder encourages students to follow the precautions that the university has set in place in order to keep everyone safe.
Whiteside, a senior studying psychology and neuroscience, decided to take classes online to avoid any potential COVID cases on campus. But she isn’t just worried about her own health--wearing a mask is one way she plans to protect the people she cares about.
“I have been an essential worker through the entire pandemic, so I recognize that I may have been exposed to it and could be asymptomatic. I want to protect those around me.”
Whiteside encourages students that are on campus to take this pandemic as a serious issue that affects everyone. When everyone wears a mask, we get closer to the day we can all be together as a community again.
Wolter, a junior studying psychology and legal studies, says she wears a mask to protect her high risks parents.
Wolter encourages the community to wear masks as a way of being a better human in society.
“Be responsible and a decent human being. Take into consideration other people’s lives. It’s really not that hard to do the bare minimum of wearing a mask. And don’t tell people that are worried about COVID to just stay home because not all of us have that choice. “
Castillo, a sophomore studying education and history, says she masks up as a way of protecting others from spreading it to them accidentally while also protecting herself.
Castillo encourages people to focus on the benefits of wearing masks, and even the fun in it.
"People just need to stop complaining about masks. Like, you’re insecure? No one can see you behind the mask. Do you have acne? Mask covers it. You don’t like your smile? Mask. Masks fix all and if you get a fun mask you can feel cool and apocalypsy.”
Carter, a junior studying sociology and legal studies says that she wears a mask because, "It keeps me safe as well as others."
UNC Asheville students, tell us why you wear a mask by filling out this form.
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