Opinion
Can You Have a COVID-Safe Halloween?
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- Category: Volume 93 (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
- Published: Wednesday, 28 October 2020 13:00
- Written by SAMUEL CIOCIOLA | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The spooky season is in full effect as we approach Halloween this week. Halloween has always been a favorite celebration for college students. Dressing up in crazy costumes with your best friends, binge watching your favorite Halloween movies, indulging in candy and the list goes on.
Sadly, this year, we have to take into consideration the safety of our friends and family as we celebrate Halloween in the midst of a global pandemic. Can we celebrate Halloween safely?
Megan's Recovery from COVID-19
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- Category: Volume 93 (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
- Published: Wednesday, 14 October 2020 12:48
- Written by SAMUEL CIOCIOLA | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As temperatures begin to drop and flu season creeps up on us, many are concerned about the rise of coronavirus cases. Monmouth University is currently operating entirely remotely as cases within our community continue to rise. With the recent spike in cases in Monmouth and Ocean County, many are anxious about what is to come for the remainder of the cold and flu season.
Former Monmouth University student Megan Corbet attended a graduation party just a few weeks ago to celebrate a friend’s graduation achievement. Just a few days later, she got a text from the host that someone at the event tested positive for COVID-19. Megan and the friends she drove to the party with all ended up testing positive for COVID-19.
I spoke with Megan about her experience with this controversial and deadly virus. She said, “To be honest, I would have never known I even had it until my friend told me someone tested positive at her graduation party. However, I had been really tired ever since her party but I figured I was just having a long hangover.”
Campus Updates
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- Category: Volume 93 (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
- Published: Wednesday, 14 October 2020 12:45
- Written by JOHN PAPAGNI | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Many students and I believe that Monmouth University is doing their absolute best to keep students and faculty safe during this pandemic by enforcing mask wearing, social distancing and restricting visitation within the dorms.
Monmouth also provides a testing area where you will be notified within one to two days of your test results. This is very effective so that people know quickly if they have contracted the virus and if they need to begin quarantining. President Leahy has also reinforced new procedures since the spike of COVID-19 cases began.
These procedures include the shutdown of the gym, swimming pool, indoor dining, no more than five people within a group, and all classes are now online for a two-week period. The President also does not want any parents or visitors to come onto campus in fear of spreading the coronavirus further outside the school itself.
Is Campus Safe?
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- Category: Volume 93 (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
- Published: Wednesday, 07 October 2020 12:41
- Written by JULIAN REBELO | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On the top of everyone’s minds is keeping themselves and others safe amid the coronavirus pandemic. As many have come to see, numerous limitations have been placed everywhere in order to allow us to continue along with our daily lives while mitigating the spread.
As fall approached, one questioned how our educational system would handle this. Some schools had reasoned, due to their size and complications, to go fully online for the semester; others, like ours, had developed a program of both hybrid and online classes. Now the question comes, “Do you feel safe coming to campus right now?”
Currently, I am a sophomore Biochemistry major and a commuter; therefore, I have a wide mix of both online and hybrid classes. With my current situation, I only drive up to campus a few days a week, but otherwise, I work from home.
The Pandemic Election
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- Category: Volume 93 (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
- Published: Wednesday, 07 October 2020 12:39
- Written by JOHN PAPAGNI | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The election is looking more uncertain than ever. On Oct. 2, President Trump posted a Tweet saying that he and his wife Melania Trump both tested positive for coronavirus and are showing mild symptoms. It has also been revealed that candidate Biden has tested negative for the coronavirus.
The internet has been very controversial concerning this topic. Many people showed sympathy to Donald Trump and his wife while others are glad that he contracted the coronavirus and are hoping for his retirement in office and life. People are now assuming that if Trump does not make a recovery soon that it could be fatal for him and Biden will become president in the November election.
There has never been an instance where a president has died before an election. If the president did die before the election, the most likely occurrence would be that the vice president simply takes his place. However, it could also be postponed due to complications regarding the change of leadership in such a short time frame.
Ways to Spice Up the Fall Season
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- Category: Volume 93 (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
- Published: Wednesday, 30 September 2020 13:03
- Written by SHANNON MCGORTY | STAFF WRITER
Fall is usually a festive time with the leaves changing colors, pumpkin spice everything, sweater weather and the crisp smell in the air. However, with COVID-19 not many people are feeling festive. Not to worry, there is still plenty to do.
Personally, one of my favorite things to do is to cuddle up next to a fire with a good book or make delicious s’mores when I am tired of doing schoolwork.
Another fun thing that is easily accomplished while social distancing is apple and pumpkin picking. Grab all of your friends and head to one of the many orchards near Monmouth, you can get cute little pumpkins to decorate your dorm or house and take cute fall pictures.
Dealing With Virtual Learning
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- Category: Volume 93 (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
- Published: Wednesday, 23 September 2020 13:18
- Written by SAMUEL CIOCIOLA | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Throughout my college experience, I always avoided online classes; I am the type of person who learns better hands-on and in-person.
I only took one online class prior to the coronavirus situation, it was not the worst thing in the world, but I felt as if I did not learn as much as I would have in the normal classroom environment. From there, I told myself I would avoid online classes and stick to in- person.
Fast forward two semesters, a global pandemic hits and I am forced to go to school entirely online. At first, I thought I would not learn anything, and I would be better off taking time off of school, but then I realized it would be more fulfilling if I were to rise to the occasion and finish out my senior year regardless of the circumstances.
Cancellation of Fall Sports
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- Category: Volume 93 (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
- Published: Wednesday, 16 September 2020 13:44
- Written by SOLOMON MANNING | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
College sports around the majority of the world have come to a halt due to the pandemic that has taken so many lives. The cancellation of sports this fall has put many athletes in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation. The cancellation has taken a toll on many athletes who were relying on the fall season for a breakthrough in their athletic career.
Many athletes who are graduating now have to find out what is next on the horizon for their future. Oftentimes curses are blessings in disguise and for every athlete, they will one day have no choice but to turn away from sports. This pandemic may prepare their minds for the near or far future ahead. Athletes can now, for a brief moment, focus solely on things outside of sports and establish a foundation for their life beyond a football field, soccer field, basketball or tennis court.
There is more to life than sports and athletes may find that they are skilled in other areas as well. The cancellation of sports is all about the approach and how athletes look at and deal with the cancellation.
Back "On" Campus
- Details
- Category: Volume 93 (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
- Published: Wednesday, 16 September 2020 13:37
- Written by LAUREN SALOIS | OPINION EDITOR
For most of us, we have not stepped foot on campus since March and spring break has felt like it never really ended. Spring break blended into summer with all of us stuck inside under the quarantine and social distancing guidelines. It shockingly has been six months since we were on campus for our normal class schedules. Now we are back but this semester is nowhere near normal.
Here we are back “on” campus….Some of us are getting the chance to actually come to campus for in-person and hybrid classes, but for a lot of students, all of their classes are strictly online. For those who do get to come to campus they are not going to the same campus they left last March.
You barely see any other students and all the parking lots are mostly empty which is really unusual but does make parking less stressful and there is no need for valeting this semester (a nice little perk). But having to wear a mask at all times and keeping a distance from everyone is weird and has some apocalyptic undertones.
