When I saw the email saying that Gannon University had lifted its mask mandate immediately, I went through a wave of different emotions: happy, excited, nervous, stressed, etc.

I felt ashamed and strange to feel more than just happiness and excitement.

This has been a long time coming, almost two years of waiting to get somewhat back to normal.

And although we are headed in that direction, I still can’t shake off the feeling.

I am nervous to not wear a mask, and as a 22-year-old, that feels silly to say, but in reality, it is not.

I am nervous to walk into class where I know 99% of the people around me don’t care about COVID anymore, which again, is very understandable because we are young and have been dealing with this for so long now, we want to be done with it.

But it will never be done. We will always have this.

Which is another reason why I should get used to it but knowing that there is still a high chance of getting COVID-19 and possibly giving it to others, stresses me out.

Some of my family members, some of my friends and I all are high-risk, but no one knows that.

They just know I am the one person in their class who will still wear their mask.

I know that there is judgment, because this is life, but it is sad that they can judge me when I don’t judge them for deciding not to wear a mask.

I respect the people who choose not to; it is your own decision.

But again, I want to make my own decision without feeling like everyone is looking at me and thinking “Why?”

I do not want to come off like I am being a “pick me” person, because there are many people who state, “you can do what you want,” “no judgment here,” “I respect your decision,” etc., and sometimes I am not the only one in my classes who wears a mask.

Sometimes there are more students; sometimes it is the professor. But the reasoning behind this is that no one should feel judged or outcast or ashamed because of their own decision and feelings.

Everyone is in the same boat at the end of the day. No one wants to get COVID. No one wants to be required to wear a mask.

They want to choose if and when they want to wear it, just like the rest of life. You should be able to choose if and when you want something.

CHLOE PALMIERE

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