Welcome back to school, my fellow Fordham students. It has been forever since we have seen each other. 

Since lockdown when former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo closed the schools, we have been in some kind of time continuum named COVID-19. For many, it feels like the whole world has been in some kind of Star Trek time warp. Personally, I walked out of school at the end of my freshman year, and I am walking back in as a rising junior. Sounds like science fiction to me.  

Let’s Recap

On March 9, 2020, the Fordham community received an email from University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., stating that as of 1 p.m., all classes were canceled due to the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic surely did its damage to the whole world.

New York City had become the epicenter of COVID-19 and the casualties were getting worse by the hour. The insurmountable loss of life had taken its toll. The administration of Fordham had no choice but to close; students were sent home, and we began to take our classes on Zoom. 

The COVID-19 pandemic surely did its damage to the whole world. With closing schools and businesses and putting us all behind masks, we have been in anxiety mode for a long time. In the beginning, isolation and wearing a mask felt like prison. Our classes became screens on Zoom, and our friends and teachers were fit inside boxes. 

Now we are convening in person, but are we ready to be with each other? 

Remaining Fears

I am excited to see everyone, but deep inside I have, like so many others, withdrawn into my own world of safety. At home, I can control the threat of COVID-19. I wear my mask when I go out. I wash my hands often. I keep my home clean and sanitized.

All of us know someone who has had COVID-19. You may even have had it yourself.

The teachers who work for me at my educational agency, Excalibur Reading Program, are all vaccinated, and my office is a haven in which the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines are followed. Unfortunately, many are traumatized by COVID-19. We all want to get back to normal, but I’m hesitant, fearing repercussions from the Delta variant. The coronavirus took us out of school, but Delta is here, and we are still going back to school. I admit I am anxious about this.

All of us know someone who has had COVID-19. You may even have had it yourself. In my family, my husband and daughter-in-law had COVID-19, and my cousin died from it. As a commuter, I am worried about the crowded trains and buses and the angst that some stranger is  breathing down on me. That alone is a demon I really don’t want to face, but I will have to, as that is the only way I can come to school. 

If you are like me and still a bit worried, here is some advice we can all utilize to help get us through this bittersweet reunion. On August 19, Vice President Marco Valera sent an email to the students and faculty stating that anyone who is vaccinated will be afforded full privileges on campus if we wear masks. Anyone unvaccinated will not be permitted to dine indoors or take part in indoor activities such as athletics and entertainment events “per the New York City policy requiring proof of vaccination for such venues.”

I still wish we could all be together like normal, but between the impact of COVID-19 and the new Delta variant, we are all going to have to be a lot more patient with each other.

Wearing a mask all day is not going to be easy — after a while, my throat and lips get dry, and so do my cheeks from absorbing my breath all day. My advice is to stay away from garlic, hydrate and have a chap stick available to moisten those luscious lips.  

Be Respectful of Boundaries

Even though most people are eligible to receive the vaccine in the U.S,  we may have friends that are not vaccinated, and they may have their reasons, which I believe we should respect.

We are all coming out of this isolation together. We need time to readjust.

I still wish we could all be together like normal, but between the impact of COVID-19 and the new Delta variant, we are all going to have to be a lot more patient with each other, by respecting social distancing, sanitizing and being aware of our peers who may be having a bad day. 

Cura Personalis

We at Fordham dignify ourselves with our motto, “cura personalis,” which means to care for the whole person. We are a student body who takes care of each other every day, no matter what. We have professors who are willing to work with us and assist us to attain the degree we want. 

With that said, I want to convey a little motherly advice, as I am 64 years old (young): Please be patient with each other. We are all coming out of this isolation together. We need time to readjust.

As a student body and a nation, we have been through so much already.

Each one of us should have spare masks with us to refresh during the day. Carry hand sanitizer, wash your hands and talk to your friends and professors if you need extra support. We have a great Counseling and Psychological Services in G5 in the basement of the Lincoln Center Campus. Here is their number: (212) 636-6225. They can help greatly. They helped me. 

Make the Most of This School Year

I hope and pray that this horrible virus will be a thing of the past in the next year or so. As a student body and a nation, we have been through so much already. We missed out on social events at school. I missed my Dean’s List award ceremony in May. Our seniors lost out on their graduation ceremony in May of 2020, and my daughter Andrea lost out on her graduate school graduation.

So, with the COVID-19 adversary out there, let’s take this year by storm. In the meantime, let’s show New York that we at Fordham honor ourselves in excellence and community pride.