Following the lifting of the mask mandate in the UAE on Sept. 28, students at NYU Abu Dhabi have expressed both their excitement and hesitancy toward the news. Although much of the community is relieved to experience a sense of normalcy, nothing can truly compensate for the time spent behind computer screens and cloaks of anonymity.

Unmasking, we are finally able to see our peers’ noses as well as an outpouring of blanketed thoughts that have accumulated throughout the pandemic: from reflecting on the struggle to bond with others and the clamor of in-person events to the looming truth that Covid-19 has not disappeared and some guards must stay up.

“There's a bit of mixed feelings there... When I was a freshman – that’s when Covid started – at the beginning we didn't have to wear masks and then all of a sudden we had to wear masks, and it's been like that for the rest of my college experience,” said Thaïs Alvarenga, Class of 2023. She also touched on the unpredictably long-lasting effect Covid-19 would have on her college experience.

“From a medical point of view, [Covid-19] is not over, and it might never fully be.” said Emma Pongrácová, Class of 2026, when asked about whether the lift on the mask mandate is symbolic of the end of the pandemic.

Sudit Sahoo, Class of 2023, commented that many had been anticipating an ease of restrictions for months since cases were more under control and it was just a matter of time until masks became optional. “Some day or the other, this was just bound to happen.. It was just a question of whether we were going to wait until the pandemic was completely over.”

Meanwhile, Pongrácová highlighted her indifference toward the mask mandate lifting, noting how widespread precautions such as vaccines set her at ease during the transition towards less restrictions: “The first day [the mask mandate] was lifted was the 28th. I remember wearing the mask that day because I forgot it was lifted, I didn't even realize I had the mask on. That's how much I’ve become used to it.”

In addition to expressing their reactions to the new change, students who spoke to The Gazelle elaborated on their experiences with mask-wearing. Alvarenga discussed how it affected the way she interacted with her peers. “I used to be someone who was physically inclined to hug people, interact with other people. I feel like after Covid, I’m totally not the same person. I used to just go into a room and hug everyone who allowed me to hug them...I think social distancing made me a bit more mindful of that.”

On the other hand, Pongrácová shed light on how wearing a mask helped conceal fatigue that every student experiences during the week: “A convenience [of masks is] that half your face is not visible, so even if you look bad or just woke up, it's better than seeing your whole face.” That said, she admitted that communication with masks was initially an issue. “While speaking another language or your mother tongue, it's easier to understand when you see the person's mouth moving, so that's maybe been a struggle at the beginning.”

Some students argued that they felt a sense of normalcy emerging even earlier. “Even before the mask mandate was lifted, for me, returning to normal was when we had this cap on the number of particular people in a room lifted, that was when I saw things would go back to the normal way,” said Sahoo.

The lifting of the mask mandate is representative of how successfully Covid-19 policies and compliance were practiced in different places. Students on campus reflect on how Abu Dhabi’s mask mandates differed from masking practices back home.

Sahoo, reflecting on the masking conditions in India, stated that, “They still need to wear masks in public places…it's not as strict as it used to be before.” On the other hand, Alvarenga described the situation in Honduras differently. “[It’s] a bit of a mess [because] it was not enforced at all, it was mandatory but people were just not doing it, in some places people could not afford masks,” she said. Pongrácová also touched on how she had to adapt to mask wearing in Abu Dhabi as the mask mandate in her home country of Slovakia had been lifted a long time ago.

Alavarenga stressed that it is important to respect those who choose to continue masking and how some people are more at risk with Covid-19 due to pre-existing health conditions. Moreover, some students have decided to wear masks only in certain situations. “On campus, I’m not wearing it. If I [go] someplace where there's going to be a lot of people and I know I have to be somewhere in the near future, I’ll probably consider wearing a mask, just in case there's somebody infected,” said Pongrácová.

When asked about whether the NYUAD community will be forever changed by the impact of Covid-19, Sahoo said: “Yes and no. Yes because we are more conscious and vigilant and more respectful of campus laws… no because I feel like it's just one of those chapters in NYUAD history which is gone forever now, or at least I hope it's gone.”