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Sickness And The City

Coronavirus is a big deal. So is NYC.

Mar 04, 2020

Zak Erickson

I once had a teacher who was very concerned about the threat of a pandemic, and as such, she showed us a movie about just that. The movie was terrifically frightening, not least because my teacher made it perfectly clear to us that such a situation is plausible. Well, we had the bubonic plague in the 14th century and the Spanish flu in 1918. Now we have coronavirus.

I'm no medical expert, but, as a poet, I suppose that I am pretty sensitive to the tremendous drama of current fears about COVID-19. It's quite something to have anxiety about coronavirus adding an element of hysteria to the normal fears of flu season.

Going to school in New York City is, for various reasons, wonderful. It adds a whole other element, though, to fears over coronavirus. In college, you're constantly surrounded by other students, and, in a big city, you're constantly surrounded by a great crush of people. I could hardly have expected as a freshman that such a phenomenon would be marking my final semester; after all, I have several things on my bucket list before I graduate. There are a good many things in the city (example: the Staten Island Ferry) which I have yet to experience, and I'd like to have a fun time exploring a bit before Commencement. Well, if this all boils over, it will; if it won't, it won't. Lent, at any rate, is a time for repentance, and the debilitating effects of disease probably encourage that.

The Bronx is the poorest borough in NYC and very poor compared to lots of other areas of the U.S. as well. New Orleans, where I'll be going in 2 weeks (donate here before the end of this Friday!), is also marked by extreme poverty. Systemic injustices in this country (and all over the world) make it the case that the economically disadvantaged are disproportionately affected by disease. (Not to mention the racism involved in fear of pandemics.) I hope that the coronavirus will not reach a stage at which that kind of thing will play out.

NYC represents a lot of things that are wrong with the world, certainly, and the hellishness of cities' impersonal crowds is amplified by the threat of close contact engendering disease. It's a beautiful place, though, and I'm glad to be here.

10 Truths About Being In A Sorority

(For Girls Who Are Interested In Greek Life)

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Rebekah Lee

I remember my freshman year oh so well. I remember feeling terrified the night before orientation. The one thing that I dreaded the most was not the new people, the new environment, or even the academic pressure. I was dreading having to talk to sorority girls about Recruitment. I remember cutting off and avoiding any Rho Gamma/Panhellenic Officer that came my way during First Week. I looked at them like they had asked me to cut my arm off whenever they asked me if I wanted to rush. To be honest, I did not even know what rush was, but I knew that I did NOT want to be a part of it. To me, it was dumb. It was a waste of money. It was a waste of my time.

And guess what? I did not rush my freshman year. I spent the first half of my freshman year isolating myself from everyone on campus. I spent all of my time in the library, and then (since I was a commuter) went back home once my work was finished.

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Now that the semester is over, you are probably wondering what your purpose of life is beside writing essays and constantly studying. Breaks give you time for some rest and relaxation, and what better way to relax than cuddling with some hot cocoa and some Netflix. Here is a list compiled of shows that must make it into your binge watching sessions, with the website in which you can find it. Enjoy!

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The day you walked onto your school's campus for the first time you were scared, excited, and unsure of how the next four years of your life were going to turn out. You doubted it would go fast and even though you weren't positive about what your future plans would hold, you had plenty of time. You figured out your major, added a minor or two, joined a handful of organizations and all of the sudden you're here. Your final semester of undergrad. Now you've got 25 problems and graduation is only one.

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