Masks are back. For some, this is a relief, but for others, this is a nightmare all over again. Last school year, students were required to wear masks all year long and though many hoped over the summer the requirement would vanish, here they are back in person, with masks. 

Masks have been required for nearly two years now. Now we are back in person and students are still required to wear masks. This is frustrating to some students, especially junior Ariana Maldonado. 

“I don’t really like them,” Maldonado said. “It’s just, I get the point of them, but I really just don’t like wearing them. This is hard for me because I like seeing people’s smiles and with masks, I can’t do that.”

For other students, wearing masks is a good thing. Sophomore Mercy Wincel is vaccinated and even though she isn’t necessarily “required” to wear a mask outside of school, she says she’ll wear one just so everyone feels safe. 

Some view masks as a safety feature, but others think of them as a nuisance. 

“In a way they make me feel more safe, but people are still getting sick,” Maldonado said. 

Wincel plays sports, and said wearing masks while playing makes it hard to breathe, she knows she’s keeping her community safe and that’s what matters to her.