This school year, due to the lifted mask mandate, fewer people are wearing masks in the building. 

Senior Olivia Ratliff chooses not to wear a mask this year, but she realizes the lasting presence of COVID-19.

“The thing is, Covid isn’t [really] over,” said Ratliff. “The pandemic has just kind of cooled down a bit.”

Junior Mathilda Schmidt also chooses not to wear a mask.. She emphasized her happiness that masks are coming off as she believes it creates more room for human connection, something that was missing last year. 

“I think it’s nice because you can see how people are feeling,” said Schmidt. “And [you can] connect more with people on an emotional level rather than seeing their eyes and trying to guess how they’re feeling.” 

Though she has stopped wearing a mask, Schmidt believes that we will never go back to the way things were.

“I don’t think we’ll ever go back to normal,” she said. “With Covid, there is almost a new normal and when you’re sick [you] wear a mask. We’re just doing things a lot of other countries have been doing for years.” 

Junior Angela Zhang chooses to wear a mask this year, mainly because she doesn’t want to get sick.

“Personally I don’t want to get sick and not just because of Covid, but also the common cold,” said Zhang. “And I’m not a big fan of being sick.”

She has noticed the return of the pre-pandemic environment.

 “I feel like it’s kinda just like everythings going back to normal,”said Zhang.“It’s like everything is just returning like how it was pre-Covid, but it’s kinda nice seeing peoples faces again.”