COVID-19 has placed college students in a world of danger. Since we’re living in unprecedented times and quarantine has left many college students deprived of socialization, the lack of mention toward COVID-19 was bound to begin.
As the country began to slightly reopen last year, triggering high hopes of reverting back to some form of normalcy.
Restaurants are now back at 100% capacity, clubs are releasing promos for upcoming parties and airports are promoting inexpensive flights.
FAMU student David Sanders said he understands college students want to create special memories, yet also acknowledges the danger in doing so.
“Socialization is hard to stay away from because we’re in college, we’re young and don’t want to waste our youth stuck inside, not socializing, networking, or just having fun,” Sanders said. “Yet, staying safe should be our main priority right now.”
As most college students, age from 18-22 — considered to be entering their prime years — tend to live off the “life is too short” motto, totally disregarding that COVID-19 can shorten life expectancy as well.
I, too, do not expect college students to totally disregard the enjoyment of their social life, yet I expect college students to be cautious in their daily activities.
TCC student Christiana Ray said the few limitations we now have due to COVID-19 have huge effect on college students now.
“Many of them [college students] never really took the pandemic seriously in the beginning and now it probably seems to them that it’s never going away, so they feel as if they should still be able to live life the way it used to be,” Ray said.
Sanders agrees.
“Most college students don’t believe in the seriousness of this pandemic and because it’s been almost a full year of COVID-19, individuals just don’t want to waste anymore time not living their best life,” Sanders said.
The idea of remaining social in a global pandemic is and always will be a double-edged sword. The ongoing expectation of keeping safety guidelines intact, such as wearing masks, will be the tipping point.
Social media, viewed by millions on an everyday basis — especially the younger generations — has often strayed away from COVID-19 media coverage.
College students tend to have a breaching attention span, so without the media continuing to display such information in their faces, much of that isn’t remembered, or rather taken seriously.
FSU student Madison Belmont shared how effective ineffective media coverage can be.
“I do find myself often forgetting that COVID-19 is still in existence, as I feel it is not as exaggerated in the media therefore it is not really on my mind as much,” Belmont said.
Listen up college students: We’re still in a global pandemic. Enjoy college, continue to create memories, but do it safely.