By: Liam W. Cooney | Staff Writer
“It feels like March again…” a somewhat common phrase I’ve been hearing over the past few weeks.
“It feels like March again,” my Mom tells me over the phone, expressing her concern over the rising Coronavirus cases around the nation, signaling that the second wave of the virus is indeed here. The United States currently has 198,537 cases of COVID-19 (as of 11/22/20), this number is higher than what it was when all of this started, way back when the first shutdowns occurred in mid March. So needless to say, we are by no means out of the clear, and as state governors like Rhode Island’s Gina Raimando initiate new restrictions, the feeling of more widespread lockdowns in the near future only add to the angst and frustration we have all been feeling.
Currently sitting in my dorm room, typing away at this article, I am completely alone. My roommate has left for the semester, as has the rest of the friend group I have established during the first semester at Salve. Hopefully I will see these individuals real soon, but it is somewhat in the back of my mind, that worst comes to worst, they may not be back on campus until the fall of 2021. I myself will be staying over Thanksgiving break, opting to remain on campus for the remainder of the semester, a somewhat unpopular decision by the looks of how many cars have been seen packing things into their trunks in recent days. I for one am tired of this abnormal reality we are all living in. I would like to feel what typical college is like, and not be forced to decide between school, or seeing my family this holiday season.
It is with this in mind that the responsibility that our tight knit community holds to help combat this virus is tremendous. We should hold this responsibility in high regard, as it is us students that are the ones suffering in this all. Students are being deprived of receiving the best of what college has to offer, being a part of something larger than yourself, and learning from it along the way. Parents are being deprived of having this experience with their students, no parent weekends, no typical visits, and no opportunity to watch their child on the field, or in the play, the list goes on. Athletes are missing, or have missed out on their seasons, many of whom will never reclaim that once and a lifetime opportunity. In speaking with Men’s Lacrosse coach Patrick Cooney, he tells me that while he is quite optimistic about athletics taking place in the spring, he is also of course concerned and realistic. He told me specifically in an interview: “we all realize, no matter how small a chance, that there may be no season in 2021.”
Not all of this is any single person’s fault: our lives have been taken back by a sudden and harsh reality that we do not have complete control over. We have already missed out on countless experiences and opportunities, and that trend only follows us as this pandemic grows in longevity.
A large part of this cooperation and success has been due to Salve’s Mercy mission and “the type of student it draws to the University.”
With all this being stated, it is so critical that our community can be a part of the solution. No, we will not solve Coronavirus. We should, and will, instead be smart in our decision-making under these restrictions and protocols. As silly as some of them may seem (like how three sets of roommates equaling 6 can’t sit together for dinner), they are there for a distinct purpose. Instead of questioning these mandates, I suggest we follow them, because it is the only way that we can continue to keep our University safe, and open for business. What we don’t have control over is the national picture and quite frankly anything outside of this campus, but as for this campus, we can make all the difference in a time like this.
Thus far, it truly is a commendable effort that the Salve faculty and student body has shown in doing just this, and maintaining the possibilities of an in person first semester under all these circumstances. This has not gone unnoticed, as Vice President for Student Affairs Mr. Malcolm Smith tells me we have all been “good citizens” in combating the spread of the virus here on our campus. He feels a large part of this cooperation and success has been due to Salve’s Mercy mission and “the type of student it draws to the University.”
It really has been a commendable effort by all of us thus far, and I myself do truly believe this first semester was a success given the circumstances, and given the fact that until Thanksgiving and Christmas/Holiday breaks of course, we have all been on campus and experiencing the most we can. Even with the recent rise in cases, both outside, and a few here at Salve, our good choices have been put on display.
As we head into the winter and the Holidays, it is in our best interests to continue to remain vigilant and cooperative with all that is thrown our way. For too long now (approaching a whole year of all of this nonsense), we have had our lives in large part taken from us, whether we recognize that or not. So let’s make the best decisions that we all possibly can these next few months, just as we have done since September 1st. The last thing we all want is to not come back next January, and be forced to finish the year apart. Doing everything we can will not guarantee anything for anyone, and it certainly will not end this mess of seemingly endless confusion, frustration, suffering, and disarray. It will however best position ourselves and our school to do great things in the future, and get our world back to where we want it to be.
From my conversation with Malcolm Smith, he tells me that “as of now” Salve will be fully open come the start of the second semester. I look forward to that becoming a reality.
Cover Image: “Salve Regina University” by criana on flickr is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
