On Saturday the 12th of March, Oregon’s mask mandate will become an option. We are now under the impression that Covid-19 cases are down and it’s safer to take them off, so how is the student body feeling about it? 

Inside the News staff classroom, see students and editors discuss the topic of masks in class. The classroom is full of curious staffers who were excited to voice their opinions about the mask mandate lifting. 

The conversation soon geared toward who would keep their mask on, which raised a lot of hands.  Bayla Orton, daughter of Nurse Pam Orton, shared that she might take her mask off the week before spring break, but after everyone comes back from being on vacation, she’ll wear it to avoid anything coming back with students who had traveled. Students talked amongst themselves while others brought new ideas to the table. Sophomore Staff writer Mia Mees explains that it just depends on what the majority does.

“I’ll probably just wear my mask if others do, just because I don’t wanna be the odd one out,” said Mees.

This is a common theme in the Newsstaff classroom because students don’t want to be judged or for assumptions to be made about their political beliefs. 

Students outside the newsroom ponder the same questions and decisions. 

 “The last time the mask mandate was lifted, things got worse, so I don’t know if it’s the best idea to lift it again,” said senior Sophia Ermisch, student activist and stucco member.

Sophia’s perspective shows how students may not be in the best predicament to revoke the mandate, but also, students who feel safer with their masks will continue to wear them and hopefully remain unaffected.

The biggest part of wearing masks all day is that they have stripped away all the emotions students haven’t been able to express in the past. Before putting on the masks, people didn’t realize the impact they would have on hiding almost every aspect of your face until students adapted and learned how to “smile” with their eyes when passing friends in the hall. Students know that everyone has a decision to make, and come Monday the 14th, Storm students will get to see some dazzling smiles.