“The elimination of the mask mandate on campus is something that was inevitable given the political climate the university finds itself surrounded by. That’s not to say that the campus community was not ready for the mandate to be lifted; in my experience, practically everyone around me didn’t see the point given the habits of college students once classes let out. More than the mask mandate, I am excited to see more people physically on campus because that is what truly makes LSU the community it is.”

Charlie Stephens | @CharlieStephns

“The university lifting the mask mandate seems like a win-lose. With the Omicron variant still spreading, not requiring masks seems to be counterintuitive, especially knowing that we’re all probably eager to surround ourselves with people at Mardi Gras. On the bright side, we know that the majority, if not all, of LSU is vaccinated in some way, so I’m not too concerned. Plus, removing the mandate means that, after two years, we can finally see and understand each other while we talk to one another or in class.”

Drake Brignac |@drakebrignac

“I feel pretty neutral on the change in the mask mandate. I did not mind wearing one, but it’s nice to be able to see the face of my professors and classmates. It makes it a little bit easier to communicate in class. As long as students remain vaccinated or frequently tested, I will feel safe without a mask.”

Lura Stabiler | @lstabiler3

 ”The fact that the university has decided to lift the mask mandate and simultaneously return to fully in person classes is frustrating, but not surprising. The university has changed its COVID-19 regulations many times since the beginning of the fall semester, so it’s not shocking that they’ve already implemented new rules. If COVID-19 numbers are going down with a mask mandate and synchronous classes, then these regulations prove to be effective, and there’s no reason to change them. I suspect that lifting the mask mandate and returning to in-person classes will cause an increase in COVID-19 numbers on campus, and we will be forced to reinstate the old regulations.”

Mia Coco | @MiaMarieCoco1

“Though it has been nice seeing everyone’s faces, I am worried for those who are unvaccinated. Even though the majority of faculty and students are vaccinated, not all of them are. I think that enforcing and lifting the face mask mandate is going to be a consistent cycle for years to come. Even though it is nice to not have to wear a face mask, I believe that the face mask mandate is not gone forever.”

Kacey Buercklin | @0kacey1

“I’ve been pretty cautious about COVID-19. I got the vaccine and the booster, but I don’t mind the mask mandate being lifted. Almost everyone on campus is vaccinated and generally low risk given the age demographics. I don’t like wearing masks, especially while lifting or playing basketball, so I’m looking forward to going back to normal in that regard.”

Frank Kidd | @FK446852315