You Can Mask If You Want To!

You can mask if you want to, even if you need to leave your friends behind.

For me, and several other teachers out there, school has started up again. Our summer of sheltered safety has come to and end and we will be expected to go toe to toe with some of the most germ-y creatures known to man - kids.

I can not tell you how many times I had to tell a kid to stop picking their nose and pull their mask back up. In an era of pandemic, it's not just about manners, it’s about safety.

Last year while Covid was a uniting force and we all (hopefully) tried our best to stay safe, this school year is a little different. Not every school district requires masks for their staff and students. Even with the more contagious “Delta Variant” spreading rapidly though communities, many schools and places of work have taken the stance of: “We trust you to do what you feel necessary.”

Wearing a mask is up to you

Unfortunately, where I live, it seems most people whether they are vaccinated or not have taken this opportunity to not wear masks. “18 months has been long enough, I want to wear lipstick again!” (Or whatever excuse they have)

I don’t fully understand their reasons for not masking because I am here to tell you…

I’LL BE MASKING!

Oddly enough, I expect to hit a bit of resistance over this.

Here are some reasons why.

Peer pressure

I have not received the vaccine. The reasons are mine and mine alone. I do not feel that my choice to be vaccinated should be a topic of conversation. However, I imagine many people in my bubble have been vaccinated. Good for them, they have my total support.

I will continue to wear my mask. And, like my choice to not get the vaccine, it is nobody’s business why I wear one.

I don’t understand why masking became a political or social issue. It is a piece of clothing that covers the face. The fact that I wore a shirt, pants, or socks with cartoon characters isn't a conversation, why should masks be?

But, peer pressure about masking is a strong force.

My school district remained firm about their optional masking policy they announced over the Summer. Even though other districts in the state and the county have made masks mandatory in the classroom, ours did not feel they were necessary. So be it.

We recently had our first day of school and I was very pleased by the number of students who are still wearing masks. Not even close to half of them, but I was expecting maybe 1 out of 100, so the possible 40% I saw yesterday was a nice surprise.

However, by the end of the day, those numbers dropped. All due to peer pressure. They saw their friends weren’t wearing masks, and chose to take theirs off. A totally understandable move, because masks kinda suck. I did not walk around and interview every student who shed their masks, but I would imagine a few who did deep down did not want to.

Mask fatigue

I’ve been wearing a mask since before it was cool. My immunity doesn’t meet the task of defending me from most invaders in my school and social setting. Plus, with all the traveling I did before the pandemic, I thought it was a wise choice to wear a mask on planes and trains just to be safe.

But, a year and a half later, I am tired and so are most people, I imagine. I miss breathing normally, speaking, and letting people see my beautiful face. Again, I’ll say it, masks suck! I totally get it.

Mask fatigue has become enough that people who are concerned about their health have stopped wearing them. I certainly have been a little more lax about how close I can get to a person without being masked. I’ve gotten to a point where putting it on to walk across the room just doesn’t seem worth the energy. If I go quickly, I can avoid the germs.

I know I am not alone in this area.

Not wanting to be rude

This has been an issue throughout the Covid Era. Wearing a mask has become equal to telling someone they are disgusting.

“Ew...I don’t want to catch your germs!”

Early on, with mask mandates, one could fall back on “The Law.” Now, with people getting more comfortable being around people unmasked, wearing a mask implies distrust.

For me, someone could be the cleanest, most vaccinated person in the world and I still feel uncomfortable to not have a mask. Even with family, all I can think about is, “They better not be spreading anything.”

But, I still give in when I wouldn’t have in the past, because I don’t want to be rude. I want to say I trust them that they have taken precautions.

Yet still, I am uncomfortable.

You can mask if you want to

Now that I have expressed all my reasons why someone might not wear a mask, I want to say it is still cool to mask up.

Your health is in your hands.

Your family’s health is in your hands.

If you feel masking up is the best choice, do it!

Your body and mind know what is best. Even if you think you will the the only one and/or people will judge you for wearing a mask, do it anyway.

It is seriously just a piece of cloth that covers your nose and mouth. It isn't a bomb, a political symbol, or a message of distrust.

It’s just a mask.