In 2020, COVID took the world by storm and had everyone masked up. Three years later, the majority of people have chosen to unmask, though there are still a handful of people still wearing masks. 

For people like me who chose to keep the mask on, it can be weird to be the only one in the class to wear one. It also can be embarrassing when someone asks you, “why the mask?”

Catching COVID or any other virus can affect the most vulnerable human bodies, such as mine, which is a big part of my decision to keep the mask on. Having a low immune system comes with a lot of issues. 

I frequently get sick in the winter causing me to miss a lot of school and be isolated from my friends. Wearing the mask has helped me realize that it is a helpful tool for me to stay safe.

However, there is a much deeper reason why I choose to wear a mask. Social anxiety makes you want to hide your face from everyone else. 

I don’t want my face to be recognizable and judged. Hiding my face makes me feel better knowing that people don’t really know who I am or what I look like. It reduces the anxiety that builds up when I am talking to someone. With the mask on, I don’t have that thought in my mind that the person is negatively judging me when I speak to them. 

In other words, concealing my face makes me feel anonymous and that is what helps me when I’m in the same building with hundreds of other people. Wearing a mask for me is not a fashion statement. It is a safety net from disease and the world at large.