Masks in Media
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges that no body really expected. I would say that most people would have never thought that they would be wearing a mask in their day to day lives. Oftentimes masks are associated with the end of the world, mass destruction, war, and illness, and I was terrified of what masks could mean for us. Movies often show masks as something scary, whether they’re showing a psycho killer, a villain with a damaged face, or a post apocalyptic fighter. We rarely see masks as a good item that could save lives but instead as a warning. Shown below are some of the many characters that illustrate this.
Encountering Masks
In early March, I noticed reports of a mysterious virus all over the news. There was some anxiety among my friends and I but we still carried on with our normal routines at first. I was actually in a bubble tea cafe when I noticed that a few people were masked. It was unsettling to see the news play out in real life, but I quickly convinced myself that they were crazy to be wearing masks. There was no way this would become reality, it was going to be done soon. My roommates and I waited anxiously for the news that we knew was inevitable and as we expected, we were sent home with short notice. It is hard to explain the emotions that were being tossed throughout my mind at this time. I was excited to be going home with the understanding that I would only be home for about two weeks, I was upset to be leaving my friends, and I was nervous about the virus. Overall I would say that everyone was confused and overwhelmed.
Towards the end of March, the CDC began suggesting masks which caused more panic for many people. This disease was becoming a real threat and something most people haven’t dealt with in their lifetime. At this point masks were hard to get and not yet mandated.
My family and I were still under the impression that this would blow over and I would be back at school soon. One day my parents returned from picking up a few groceries and told my sister and I that half of the people at the store were masked. We were shocked, but again I reassured myself that they were the crazy ones. My mom scrambled to order some masks online in case we’d need them and I continued to hear about people masking more on TV. Before I knew it my family was in full lockdown. My sister’s high school shut down and my parents, who are teachers, were also told to stay home. At first, we thought they would only be home for a few weeks as well, but this was not the case. We started to have our groceries delivered, stopped seeing friends and family, and put our lives on pause. We were living in a new world.
For a while I really wanted to pretend that the pandemic was not happening and continue on without masking. I was locked up in my house after being sent home anyway. I was under the impression that we’d be back to “regular” life within a few weeks. But after no sign of change, I understood that masking would have to become part of my life at some point.
My first time masking
The news articles became intense and I quickly became terrified of the virus. I stayed in my house from the end of March until the end of June only seeing my mom, dad, and sister. I was feeling isolated and confused. I honestly didn’t really trust masks and I wanted to do my part in keeping people safe. My understanding was that I should only leave the house if I absolutely needed to and if I did, then I must mask up. The beginning of the pandemic was a time of immense uncertainty and people were processing the virus in many different ways. I was nervous for my grandparents who felt invincible, for workers who couldn’t afford to stop working, for nurses and doctors who were exhausted, and for people who were still partying and seeing all of their friends despite the danger for themselves and others. I needed to do my part.
During the 3 months I remained isolated and only wore a mask twice.
The first time was on May 1st, 2020. My mom and I ran to the super market with gloves and N95 masks that my dad had from doing house work, of course I took a selfie of our first outing with masks, a picture I never thought would exist. I remember being very paranoid and I wanted to run in and out of the store as quickly as possible. The second time was in June, my mom convinced me that I at least needed to go for a walk since I was beginning to go crazy from being in the house for so long. I wore a standard disposable medical mask that my mom had ordered from Amazon and since that day masks have become a part of my daily life. I feel safe and protected with a mask, even after being vaccinated.
Getting Creative
For a while masks were hard to come by, they were selling out and prices were going up. Many people began to make their own masks out of old clothing, extra fabric, or basically anything in their home. My dad decided to cut up a t-shirt and make his own masks which he used a few times until we were able to buy more. A few of my friends began to use their crafting abilities and sewing machines to make some beautiful masks and sell them or give them away to help with the mask shortage. Personally, I have been wearing masks the basic medical masks or masks my mom ordered from The Gap sometime during the summer. They are triple layered cloth masks with fun patterns such as paisleys, flowers, birds, or just bright colors. I grew to love these masks because they were cute, comfortable, and effective.
My favorite mask
The mask I have worn the most would be my floral mask sold by The Gap. The main color is a dark maroon-red with colorful flowers all over. It is made of three layers of cotton with an adjustable wire at the nose and over the ear straps. This mask came in a pack with two other masks and The Gap continues to sell 3-packs of masks on their website. I found that this mask was very comfortable, it didn’t hurt my ears or give me a headache, so I began to wear it all of the time including while doing work, with friends and even during a visit to the hospital after getting a concussion. As I did my research I found out that Gap Inc. actually made so much money through the sales of their masks that they decided to give back to the community by donating masks and money to people in need.
Gallery of my favorite mask in use
While doing work at the union 
My friends and I masked up at the fountain on Main Street in Geneseo 
My trusty mask at a hospital visit earlier this year
Honestly for me, masks have become a symbol of good and bad. They meant I was able to see my boyfriend even if it was outdoors and with a mask on, they meant I was able to see my grandma, go grocery shopping, see my friends from a distance, go to in-person classes again. Masks also meant the pandemic wouldn’t be over soon, masks eliminate the connections you can make with a stranger with a simple smile, masks mean not knowing the bottom half of your classmates face who you do all of your work with. Although I am grateful for the protection that my masks have provided me with I am definitely hoping that the end of masking is near.