Mature student in uni

[Novemberprobs]

I can’t decide if I’m being OTT or not... would really welcome some perspective!

I’m a mature student at a university where mask-wearing is met with a fair bit of resistance from the students. Lectures are fine as mostly online, but I have one particular tutorial with ten other students where they ALL refuse to wear masks - and as it’s not compulsory, this is seen as fine by the uni. They are all really nice about it, I’m not trying to bash them, but it’s not due to medical exemptions, it’s more that they’ve all said if they don’t HAVE to, they don’t want to.

We are in an enclosed space, but seated (just about) 2 metres apart, although we do have to change places to take part in group work.

Should I be worried? I am late 30s so not high risk myself, although I have do a medically vulnerable person in my household. I wear a mask myself but I’m starting to get anxious that it’s not enough on its own.

If they don't have to then they don't have to. Wearing a mask yourself wont protect you.

Yeah I mean this is it really. I’ve got used to wearing a mask as social responsibility when out anywhere like supermarkets etc - mask use is to protect others and I’m fully on board with that. But usually others are also wearing them, which is I presume what allows everyone to feel safe... This is the first environment I’ve been in where no one else is willing to wear one.

My issue is that as the numbers are high on the uni campus, is it really safe to be in an enclosed space with ten other students without masks? If I was 18 I’m sure I’d be more relaxed about it but I have a family to think about and one of them is in a high risk group.

I'm also a mature student in a similar situation although I'm doing a master's and over half of us are mature. However our uni has made masks inside any buildings mandatory- it is in a tier 2 area. If they hadn't I think I'd feel the same as you tbh buy not sure there is much you can do.

Thanks @clareykb that’s useful to know. I think I would feel better with your uni rules - they’re more in line with other indoor spaces across other settings. I’m in an area where cases are rocketing and I’m trying to decide whether to skip a few weeks.

Thought it might be a sensible relevant thread - but nope it's more mask-bashing. They've not been told they have to wear them - so they're doing nothing wrong.

My uni have made them compulsory (makes studying mouth shapes fucking impossible but there you go) despite sitting 15 students in a lecture room that normally fits 150 - so no one can see anything, no one can hear anything and if you wear glasses you can't make any notes cos your specs steamed up after 5 minutes!

I don't go in as I can't wear a mask and know that there's at least one charmer on my course who'd take the chance to have a pop at me cos she always does - have permission to avoid the face-to-face sessions and just log on and watch recordings of them - but I've proven my academic ability and commitment by getting really solid marks all last year so they know I WILL stay on top of it all.

Cheers @DominaShantotto sorry it’s such a sensitive topic for you. My question was about my own anxiety due to a vulnerable family member though.

Why don't you ask the uni if you can skip this session or get notes instead perhaps?

I would definitely skip a few weeks if you’ve got a vulnerable family member at home. Sadly the rules only seem to improve when people vote with their feet. I’d ask for the work to be sent home and explain why, hopefully they’ll look at the rules. Good luck.

There is very little need for masks if you are already sitting 2 metres apart. Masks are useful for situations where social distancing cannot be maintained.

There is even less of an argument for masks in universities than schools as students are being seated so far apart.

OP, can you switch to online learning? My uni allows anyone to choose to learn online at any point for such a situation as yours.

Thanks for the replies, I keep switching between thinking I’m being excessively cautious, the 2m distance should be fine so it shouldn’t matter if no one wears a mask etc... and thinking that being in an enclosed space for several hours with a group of people who could easily be asymptotic is really not the best idea when the case numbers are as high as they currently are where I am.

We are spaced out, just about, but it’s a “double” tutorial in terms of time and it’s definitely not a case of being in a lecture hall, it’s a classroom.