COVID-19 rates throughout New York City have been steadily rising at a current rate of nearly 5%, according to NY Forward. However, Riverdale students' attitudes toward the pandemic do not reflect the growing risks. On campus, the Riverdale administration has provided community members with Purell stations, one-way hallway markings, and socially-distanced desks, among many other new measures. However, as I walk across campus it is evident that many students disregard these regulations. I empathize with my peers; it is miserable to not be able to hug a friend or speak without a mask. But, as ninth grader Celine Shon puts it, “Missing your friends is not an excuse to endanger the lives of others. There is still a pandemic going on.” Oftentimes, Riverdale can feel like a secluded bubble, safe from the effects of the virus, but this is not the reality, and it is dangerous to act otherwise. 

The scheduled lunch times have demonstrated the most obvious examples of students’ negligence of social distancing protocols. I often spot clusters of students socializing from close distances without their masks. While eating, students are permitted to remove their masks, but once they have completed their meal, their mask should immediately be put back on. Instead, I regularly see students continuing to talk with their friends without masks, even after they have finished eating. Faculty members regularly come around to separate groups and reiterate the risks, but, once they leave, their words are quickly forgotten, and students soon resume their unsafe mingling. Students are tired of constantly social distancing, which leads to them ignoring the regulations for peer interaction.  

We are stuck in a frustrating cycle that seems impossible to break. Head of the Upper School, Mr. Tom Taylor, shed light on part of this issue: “It is not as if the students have bad intentions and are purposefully trying to spread the virus. They all want to comply, but they also want to have a normal high school experience.” It appears that students often chose their friends over the safety of the community. 

Yes, it is challenging to constantly remain six feet apart from your peers, but it is a necessary action that all Riverdale students must take. Senior Karlo Antalan shared his thoughts on social distancing: “I don’t believe that Riverdale expects us to be perfect, but I think they do expect us to try.” As I move from class to class, I can see students safely conversing amongst themselves, but when they leave this controlled environment, the previously distanced students forgo the regulations. While interacting with peers may be enjoyable in the moment, students fail to realize it only increases the possibility of an in-person school closure. 

Another pressing issue for Riverdale students is their actions while off-campus. Careless decisions such as attending parties or large indoor gatherings can have negative repercussions for the entire school community. Assistant Head of School for Operations Dr. Kelley Nicholson-Flynn, who organized many of the COVID-related regulations, commented, “Students are peer pressured into taking off their masks at parties or other gatherings to avoid embarrassment. They don’t want to be the only person wearing a mask, so they take it off.” COVID-19 can be easily contracted through these events outside of school, making it imperative that students maintain regulations or generally avoid these occasions. 

Riverdale students must recognize that COVID-19 is still plaguing the city and that they must strive to comply with Riverdale’s prescribed rules and regulations. By incorrectly wearing a mask, not social distancing, or attending dangerous gatherings, students are risking the lives of their peers, teachers, family, and friends. I am confident that all Riverdale students care deeply about the school community, but they must still consciously make an effort to prevent further spread of the virus.