Mask Stereotypes Graphic: S. Goodwin
by AIDEN PRESTON & ETHAN GREMEL staff writers
What does your mask say about you? Gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, schools, and more. All of these public places have had to mandate mask wearing in their facilities due to the coronavirus. The virus is one of the most covered things in mainstream media, and has completely taken over everything. Every conversation seems to bring up one of the viruses’ many annoyances, whether it’s the three month long quarantine, how COVID-19 has affected every kind of business, or about the newest trend in fashion: the mask. At this point, living under a rock is the only way to have avoided wearing a mask at some point in the past few months. There’s a wide assortment of different types and styles of masks, and not surprisingly, the type of mask a person wears can say a lot about them. The basic paper surgical mask is by far the most common variety. Paper mask users don’t care about accessorizing with their mask. These masks aren’t very high quality, comfortable, or long-lasting, and can only be worn once or twice before heading to the trash. These are the most pocket-friendly, a large reason why they are so common. In March, when the whole pandemic started getting serious in the US, masks were incredibly hard to find. Central students 6 // BGQ // November 2020
often have to pick up paper masks on their way in the building if they forget them. People who wear this mask generally don’t care about matching their outfits with a mask, don’t go out much, or just feel that using a new one is better and easier than having to wash and reuse. The second most popular type of mask is the cloth mask. The cloth mask is recommended to be washed after daily use. This type of mask isn’t anything special; it is just there to get someone through their day. The cloth masks have one very big factor that sets them apart from paper masks: they are reusable. Instead of dumping money into paper masks, two or three of these can be cycled throughout a week as long as they are washed. Cloth masks aren’t all sunshine and rainbows though; they are constantly rubbing against the user’s face, and because of their material they can be very irritating. Despite the inconveniences, the cloth mask is so convenient to own that many people can look past the discomfort. Those who use cloth masks are just trying to go back to normal and making the most out of their situation. They don’t like masks, but they understand why they have to wear them. Some have taken it upon themselves to make a
