C/O McMaster University
Is this temporary or is there light at the end of the tunnel?
On March 25, 2022, McMaster’s Office of the Provost issued a statement to students which indicates that the university is pausing the masking and vaccine requirements as of May 1, 2022.
According to the statement, the changes are possible due to the diligence exhibited by the McMaster community.
“We are able to take this step, which allows us to align with government requirements, because of the respect that people across the University have shown to each other by getting vaccinated and wearing masks,” reads the letter from the Office of the Provost.
Some students might be confused with the statement’s wording, specifically “pausing.”
The statement notes that the requirements could be reinstated if the pandemic situation worsens, public health guidance shifts, or government requirements change.
The news follows McMaster’s decision to keep the requirements until the end of the winter term, which differed from the province’s guidance that masking and mandatory vaccines would not be needed in most settings after March 21, 2022.
Although McMaster will end its masking requirements on May 1, the university encouraged students to keep masking up in higher-risk settings.
“Surgical masks will continue to be available on campus and everyone is encouraged to continue to wear masks indoors, especially in classrooms, the libraries, crowded spaces, or close workspaces,” reads the statement from the Office of the Provost.
Sil diary entry by Adrianna Michell, Features Reporter
I have a lot of free time and I love to be snoopy. I’m a fourth year student and suddenly my undergraduate years are over. I need a little comfort right now. I need a little bit of normalcy.
After reading Jenna Wortham’s Vanity Fair “corona diary” I wanted to do my own. Although I am neither an NYC based writer nor a wellness witch, I am a panicked student trying to make sense of the world. I hope that reading what other students are doing to cope is helpful. We have all undergone rapid revisions to our university lives and now are dealing with the loneliness of working from home. Even at a distance, these diaries should remind us that we are navigating these changes together.
I’ve challenged other Sil staff members to write their own diary. I hope this will give some (imperfect) ideas about how to care for self and others.
This is me (pre-coronavirus)!
9:00 a.m.
I wish I could start this day’s breakdown by saying I woke up gracefully and fully rested. Instead, I woke up to the sound of my landlord chainsawing down a tree in the backyard (which continued for two more hours). I guess quarantine really is the time to get all those put-off tasks done.
10:00 a.m.
I make oats and coffee for breakfast. I’ve put my go to recipe for a hearty, easy dish below. I like listening to podcasts while doing other tasks like cooking and cleaning. Lately I’ve been listening to the Still Processing from the New York Times with Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham and Call Your Girlfriend with Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman (especially their booklist episodes).
Vegan Blueberry Protein Oats
½ cup rolled oats
¼ cup soy or oat milk
½ to 1 cup water
Drizzle of honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 scoop of protein powder (vanilla)
½ cup frozen blueberries
1 tbsp peanut butter
Instructions: cook everything together until thick in a pot on low-medium heat while consistently mixing. After taking the pot off the heat, add the protein powder and then mix. Add globs of peanut butter on top to finish.
10:30 a.m.
Try to do school work. Accept that interruptions are inevitable. It’s hard to focus under stress so give yourself the space to be unproductive. I find listening to classical music makes me feel calm. Here is my classical study mood playlist for your ears.
1:00 p.m.
We have a Sil staff meeting via Zoom. I almost forgot to change out of frumpy pjs into cleanish leggings and a sweater.
1:30 p.m.
Microwaved soup and a cliff bar for lunch. A bit of afternoon reading. I just finished Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo yesterday. Today I am on to Not That Bad edited by Roxanne Gay (TW: sexual violence).
2:00 p.m.
I’ve started a 30 day yoga challenge with my long time favourite Yoga with Adriene. It’s a great way to stretch and find some calm when I’m feeling stressed.
3:30 p.m.
While doing some light work I like to put on a video to keep me company. I love Bon Appetite and it’s nice to see familiar faces during turbulent times. I especially love working beside my open window — even if it’s cold it is so nice to feel fresh air.
4:15 p.m.
FaceTime with my friend Juliana. Keeping in touch with friends has been hard but it’s important to feel connected. We chatted about our new obsession with TikTok and our messed up sleep cycles.
4:45 p.m.
Since both of my parents work at jobs that are deemed essential, I’ve been living at my student house. I self-isolated for a week but I’ve found it super difficult to be without them. We worked out a compromise where I’ve been going over to their house in the evenings (also in Hamilton) while being sure to keep the lysol wipes flowing. I’ve been pretending that it’s my after school programming, which makes it fun!
5:00 p.m.
Writing and work while eating snacks from my parents’ Costco stash.
6:30 p.m.
I made vegan banana bread! Here is the super simple recipe I used.
9:30 p.m.
I got the baking bug again. I made some granola that can hopefully add some variety to my mornings in solitude.
Probably 11ish
I fall asleep watching Tiger King on Netflix. My dreams are haunted by Joe Exotic’s country tunes.
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