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Jenna Sanders
Students protest, Peer Advisors resign over Mercer’s pandemic reopening plan
When Adri Rosario attended a Zoom meeting with other Peer Advisors about Mercer University’s plan to reopen campus for orientation, there was only one step she felt comfortable taking: she resigned from her position. “The PAs were presented with information about orientation, and it was suggested that not everyone will be able to socially distance at all times,” said Rosario, a junior. “It was really difficult because I really love my job as a PA. I really wouldn’t give that up for anything, like, so easily, but I think that given the current plans, I needed to step down.” Pablo Valentin, coordinator of new student programs, told The Cluster in an email that he outlined “every detail of (the) plan that we had for everything from PA Training straight through Opening Days and Bear Beginnings” in the Zoom meeting. Bear Beginnings is a first-year program held the weekend before classes start to guide freshmen through their transition to college life. The plan involved spreading out freshman students’ move-in process over a few days and changing the Bear Beginnings schedule “in order to shift the focus to small socially distanced O-Group (Orientation Group) activities rather than large Class of 2024 activities,” he said. PAs were given several days to decide whether to renew their contracts in light of the new information. Valentin said that 10 PAs chose not to renew. There are still 54 PAs on the 2020-2021 team. “We wanted to offer our Peer Advisors the best picture we could of what this year’s Bear Beginnings might entail and thought it was only fair to give them an option to consider whether or not they wanted to proceed in this volunteer position,” Valentin said. “While it was tough to have anyone not be able to be a part of the team, I completely understand that they needed to make that decision.” The plan for orientation to be held in-person is part of Mercer University’s return to campus for fall 2020. Since March 15, most courses and activities have been held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Mercer’s website, administrators “continue to plan for fall semester classes on campus with reasonable and deliberate safeguards to protect students, faculty, staff and guests.” Mercer has released plans to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus including required testing prior to the first day of class, modifications to dining services, increased sanitation procedures, mask requirements in most buildings and a revised academic calendar meant to limit student travel. The school has also launched the Bears Care initiative, which will distribute cloth masks, thermometers, hand sanitizer and more to students. No online option is currently being developed, though students with documented health conditions are encouraged to contact the Office of Access and Accommodations. Mercer’s COVID-19 website suggests that virtual learning may be available as an accommodation. PAs resigning is just one of several actions Mercer students have taken this summer in response to Mercer’s transition to in-person campus life. Following her resignation, Rosario has helped lead protests to convince the administration to offer a distance learning option. “I don’t want to pretend like this PA decision is unique in any way,” she said. “I think students are trying to decide, ‘do I continue my education or put it on pause so that I don't have to risk my life?’” Rosario said Mercer’s plans aren’t enough to prevent transmission. She still worries about students who will travel to parts of Georgia where there are no public mask mandates (although masks are required in Macon-Bibb County until at least Aug. 20) and bring the virus back to school. She also said that the virus has been unpredictable when it comes to who will contract serious illness or die. Rosario has spoken to local news media about her concerns. She emailed Mercer administrators and deans, helped fellow students do the same and spread the word about in-person and virtual protests that took place July 14. A handful of students gathered outside of the Godsey Administration Building while others flooded Mercer University’s social media with tweets, posts and comments asking for an online option.
Letter to the Editor: Faculty condemn racial violence and police brutality and commit to anti-racism
Editor's Note: The following statement was written and overwhelmingly supported by the faculty of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Mercer University. It was sent to the student body in an email and submitted to The Cluster as a Letter to the Editor June 23. The statement does not necessarily reflect the views of The Cluster, Mercer University or faculty members not within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Mercer University CLAS Faculty Statement Condemning Racial Violence and Police Brutality and Affirming our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism We, members of the Mercer University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) faculty, condemn, in the strongest terms, the continuing racial violence and police brutality against black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) that is an all too frequent occurrence in our nation. The most recent, barbaric killing of George Floyd at the hands of the police is only the latest instance of racially institutionalized violence we as a nation collectively bore witness to – but which happens all too frequently – uncaptured by a camera’s lens. The murders of Mr. Floyd, of Ahmaud Arbery, of Philando Castile, of Atatiana Jefferson, of Breonna Taylor, and many others are injustices that simply cannot happen again. The CLAS faculty is in solidarity with our black and brown sisters, brothers, and nonbinary siblings and proclaims, unequivocally, that Black Lives Matter. Every person, in each of our unique capacities, must participate to bring these pervasive injustices to an end. We will be part of that effort. We are a community of educators. What will be our legacy in the role we play in this new, national effort to combat systemic racism? As a faculty, we will work together to move forward as a community that is invested in equity, human rights, and anti-racist practice. We must strive and commit to be the leadership we want to see in the world. We have no other choice. We have a mandate – to move from anguish to understanding, and from understanding to change. Part of that starts with recognizing that our institution and our institutional commitments must also change. We will work to embed diversity, inclusivity, and anti-racist teaching in our classrooms; to ally with our students committed to and fighting for racial justice and against injustice in all forms; and importantly, to learn ourselves. It is a lifelong individual and communal process to continue to reflect, learn about, and enact anti-racism in our daily lives. We, Mercer’s CLAS faculty, commit ourselves to transforming our institution and learning together how to oppose mendacity and disinformation in any guise and to rectify the ways that racism exists in our community. We recognize that the CLAS is composed of a largely white faculty and that white faculty members have an unmitigated responsibility in these endeavors. We commit to being in conversation with each other and our students about white privilege, microaggressions on campus, and racism, and to acknowledging and learning from the errors we have made and will undoubtedly make. We commit ourselves to self-examination – because, as Ibram X. Kendi stated, “being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination” and because we believe James Baldwin when he penned, “If one cannot risk oneself, then one is incapable of giving.” To that end, we commit ourselves to reexamining our syllabi, our pedagogies, and our practices on campus and in the community so that we can be in the service of this change. While our grief over the murder of Mr. Floyd and other black, brown, and indigenous people is visceral, it is not enough to say that we are collectively grieving. There are grievances to which we must listen with concern and empathy. Unequal access to housing, to medical care, to quality education, to accessible voting, to equal treatment by the police, and to representation in our cultural institutions are all grievances undergirded by systemic racism. We have a crucial role to play as educators to affirm and discuss with each other and our students these truths, and to envision and enact solutions. Our commitment must be oriented by and laced through with love. It must be a love, as Mr. Baldwin writes, that is rooted in “the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth.”
Mercer to commission permanent sculpture honoring school history of integration
Mercer University will commission a sculpture on campus to “permanently commemorate Mercer’s integration,” the school announced in a statement June 17. A committee has been appointed to recommend an artist, work with the artist to design the sculpture and choose its future location on campus. “A number of these individuals on the sculpture committee were personally involved in the early years of our integration, and all have a deep appreciation for the historical significance of that era and the imperative of continuing to build on this legacy,” said Mercer President Bill Underwood. “I am confident that future generations will be inspired by the product of this collective Mercer effort.” The announcement comes less than two months after the university sparked backlash from some members of the Mercer community by removing a Black history mural in Mercer Village. A petition asking Underwood to pay the original artist, Joerael Numina, as well as three to five Black American artists to paint a new mural inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement received more than 2,600 signatures. Larry Brumley, senior vice president for marketing communications and chief of staff for Mercer, said that there is no connection between the plans for the sculpture and the removal of the mural. “President Underwood has been thinking about this for several years,” Brumley said. Brumley said that the inspiration for Underwood’s idea came on a trip to Brown University several years ago, where Underwood’s son was an undergraduate. Brown had recently commissioned a sculpture addressing how the school benefited from the trans-Atlantic slave trade and recognizing that enslaved people helped build the university. Underwood “thought about Mercer’s integration in 1963—one of the first private universities in the Deep South to do so—and how students, faculty, staff and others who were involved in that historic step ensured that the University didn’t just ‘check a box’ on that transition, but fully embraced a commitment to provide opportunity and access to all, regardless of color,” Brumley said. “The decisions that were made in the 1960s in that regard are a major reason why Mercer today is one of the most diverse private universities in America.” Mercer University was the first previously all-white college or university in the state of Georgia to voluntarily integrate during a period when many universities resisted it, some with violence and riots, according to Mercer’s Remembering the Civil Rights Movement oral history project. In 1963, Mercer President Rufus Harris made the decision to integrate, and a group of administrators implemented it. The first classes of Black students at Mercer faced intolerance from white students, although no violent conflicts occurred. Brumley said that Underwood “believes it’s fitting to tell that story through permanent sculpture in a prominent location on campus to provide inspiration and a reminder that we still have much work to do in order to achieve racial justice. Now is the time to get this done.” The committee tasked with selecting an artist and location for the sculpture includes University chancellor R. Kirby Godsey, Sam Oni, the first Black student to attend Mercer and Louis Sands, a federal judge who graduated in Mercer’s third integrated class and delivered the 2020 Founder’s Day address, among others. The Student Government Association will also select a student representative to serve on the committee, according to the release.
Mercer foregoes undergraduate tuition hike, adds six new degree programs
Tuition will not increase for Macon undergraduates, students enrolled in the M.D. program in the School of Medicine or students at the College of Nursing for the 2020-2021 year, the Executive Committee of Mercer University’s Board of Trustees announced June 17. This is the first time in eight years that Mercer has not increased tuition for undergraduates by 2-2.5%. Tuition at the School of Law will increase by 2%, and “increases for most other programs across the University fall below 3% and are below market,” according to the release. “During these challenging economic times, I recommended to the Board that we forego tuition increases for our Macon undergraduate students,” said Mercer President Bill Underwood. “We also constrained tuition increases in other programs to recognize the sacrifices many of our students and families are making to pursue their educational goals at Mercer.” The Executive Committee also adopted a record $269.2 million budget for the 2021 fiscal year as well as $30 million in federally-funded research. The Board of Trustees approved six new degree programs across campus. These include a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, a Master of Science in cybersecurity and a Master of Science in civil engineering in the School of Engineering, a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology in the College of Health Professions and a Master of Science in health outcomes at the College of Pharmacy. Cybersecurity (undergraduate) The cybersecurity majors will build on existing courses within the information sciences and technology and computer science programs, and 13 new courses will be added over the next three to four years, according to a press announcement released June 22. Bachelor of Science majors can choose a specialization in either secure software development or cybersecurity operations. According to a jobs report by Cybersecurity Ventures that was cited in the release, 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions will open across the world by 2021. Eniye Tebekaemi, assistant professor of computer science, will advise the program. It will begin fall 2020. Cybersecurity (graduate) The Master of Science in cybersecurity will be available fall 2021 and will blend existing bachelor's and master's programs in computer, electrical and software engineering. Students can pursue areas of study including cybersecurity for business, cybersecurity operations, embedded computer sciences and software security. Sinjae Hyun, professor of biomedical engineering and director of graduate programs, will lead the program. Civil Engineering The Master of Science in civil engineering will build on existing graduate programs in environmental and mechanism engineering as well as technical management. The program provides the 30 hours of graduate coursework that is often expected of those hoping to become licensed professional engineers, according to the release. The program was added to reflect Bureau of Labor Statistics projections that employment for civil engineers will grow by 6% through 2028. Hyun will also advise this program. It will begin fall 2020. Kinesiology Mercer will bring new faculty to the Macon campus with backgrounds including exercise physiology, exercise science, biomechanics and kinesiology in order to begin offering the program in fall 2021. The Bachelor of Science will contain accelerated tracks for students who plan to pursue physical therapy, physician assistant, athletic training and public health graduate and professional programs at Mercer. Recent data indicates stronger-than-average projected employer demands for kinesiology graduates, according to the release. College of Health Professions Dean and Professor Lisa Lundquist will serve as the advisor for the program. Health Outcomes The College of Pharmacy will offer the Master of Science in health outcomes as a fully online program beginning fall 2021. It is meant to prepare students for health economics and outcomes research, growing fields that involve "optimizing patient care delivery and clinical decision-making, as well as influencing policy discussions related to health care reimbursements and priorities," according to the release. Students can choose a pharmacoeconomic modeling concentration or health outcomes research concentration with thesis and non-thesis options available. Graduates will be prepared for jobs in biostatistics, epidemiology, research methods, health economics and the health care delivery system. Kathryn Momary, vice chair and associate professor of pharmacy practice and associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, will advise the program. While creating new programs, Mercer eliminated several others “due to low enrollments,” according to the press release. The school will no longer offer the Bachelor of Arts and undergraduate minor in German or the certificate in leadership and ethics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The School of Law will eliminate the Master of Laws and Master of Comparative Jurisprudence, and the School of Theology will cancel the post-baccalaureate certificate in faith-based social enterprise. This article was updated June 22 to include additional information about the cybersecurity, civil engineering, kinesiology and health outcomes degree programs.
Mercer University announces changes to fall semester to combat COVID-19
This story was updated Aug. 22 to include more information about the fall semester. Mercer Bears have returned to campus for the fall, but the semester ahead will be anything but normal. Revised calendar The last day of classes will be held Nov. 24. Classes will meet on Labor Day, and Fall Break will not be observed. Final exams will only be offered online and will take place Dec. 3-4 and Dec. 7-9. "The revised calendar will minimize travel-associated breaks, meet accreditation-mandated contact hours per credit hour requirements, preserve the general university calendar and minimize online instruction for face-to-face courses," Mercer University Provost D. Scott Davis said in an email June 11. Mercer is not the only college or university to update the academic calendar for this fall. Responding to potential threats of a "second wave" of the disease that has claimed more than 169,000 American lives, institutions including Michigan State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University of Notre Dame scheduled to end their semester or transition to online learning by Thanksgiving, as reported by Inside Higher Ed. Many schools have also chosen not to offer a fall break. Angel Colquitt, a senior journalism major, said that a lack of breaks will take a toll both personally and academically. “Every year since I was 12, my dad and I have gone to Atlanta over Labor Day weekend,” they said. “I’ve already missed out on one of our trips we take because of COVID-19, and now Mercer is getting in the way of us getting to go to our convention this year in the chance the convention still happens. It’s really upsetting.” Colquitt also said that one of the symptoms of their disability is brain fog, a sense of disorientation, confusion, disorganization or inability to concentrate or remember information. Sometimes, it’s hard for them to focus in class or complete assignments. They worry that a lack of breaks could cause them to fall behind. “I use our breaks during our semesters to catch up on my studying and get ahead on my assignments. I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to keep up with this,” they said. “If my GPA suffers because of this decision, I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Safety and health initiatives A truncated schedule isn’t the only change Mercer has in store for the fall. Administration previously announced several new initiatives to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 on campus. Some of the changes include “ubiquitous” hand-sanitizing stations, modifications to dining services, rearranged classrooms to allow for social distancing and contactless temperature checks at entrances to some classrooms. Masks are required in all indoor classrooms, hallways and common areas, except for in laboratories if an instructor deems face coverings unsafe. According to Mercer’s Coronavirus FAQ webpage, masks are mandatory at all times unless “alone in an enclosed office or study room, in campus outdoor settings where social distancing requirements are met, for students in their own residential room or suite, when eating in campus dining facilities or while exercising.” Students were also provided a Bears Care Kit upon returning to campus. The kits contained a cloth mask, a two-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer, a digital thermometer, a sticker with a list of COVID-19 symptoms and phone number for the Student Health Center, a pin and a pledge card “to promote personal responsibility” during the pandemic, according to Mercer’s Coronavirus FAQ webpage. Social distancing will also be enforced in academic contexts. Mercer’s registrar updated classroom meeting times July 30 to provide 20-minute breaks between courses rather than the usual 10 “to allow for social distancing, temperature checks and hand sanitization,” according to the registrar's website. Student questions the precautions Rising third-year Adri Rosario said that while she appreciates Mercer’s increased health initiatives, she worries that they don’t cater to residential students who are at high risk for contracting COVID-19 or developing more severe symptoms, especially since most students are required to live on campus under the three-year housing requirement. “I wish the (plan) included particular resources for those who are high-risk because without such resources, this population is left behind to make hard decisions for their health and education,” Rosario said. “In fact, I think any student has a right to be nervous about returning to dorms where there are many shared spaces.” Rosario is taking the fall semester off from her studies at Mercer. Student Health Center hotline If students develop symptoms, the Mercer Student Health Center will continue to operate a 24/7 hotline that can provide evaluation and, if necessary, referral to a Mercer physician. The hotline can be reached at (478) 301-7425. Tests will also be available through Mercer Medicine. Any residential student who tests positive will be able to self-isolate on campus, according to Mercer’s student-centered website The Den.
‘Absolutely unconscionable’: Macon art community blindsided as Mercer University paints over Black history mural
Three years ago, Mercer University commissioned Joerael Numina to paint a mural on the side of Indigo Salon & Spa on Coleman Avenue. The mural, titled “Cultivating New Tones on the Spectral Stage of History,” featured prominent figures from Black history, including Sam Oni, a Ghanan missionary convert who became the first black student to attend Mercer in 1963. Tuesday morning, Mercer’s administration unexpectedly replaced Numina’s mural — not with new art, but with solid white paint. Numina was invited to paint the mural in 2017 by the College Hill Art Alliance, Art in the Park, and Mercer’s women’s and gender studies and art departments with funding from The Knight Foundation. None of these groups, Numina said, were told that the painting would be removed. “All the departments’ funding went toward this, and they were all contributing for this mural to happen as a permanent installation,” Numina said. “Personally, I wouldn’t have come and painted something with that type of content if it was a temporary mural.” Numina drew inspiration from the Black Lives Matter movement and conversations surrounding Georgia’s legal protections of Confederate monuments. The artist spoke with Oni, Macon residents and Mercer’s black female athletes for input on how he could best represent Black communities when he began the project. The mural ultimately featured Martin Delany, a 19th-century doctor and the first African American field grade officer in the U.S. Army, as well as Rosa Parks, black Civil War soldiers and black athletes kneeling in honor of National Anthem protests. Now, Numina feels that Mercer has disrespected those influential figures and the community in Macon who reveres them. “I know I’m a white person, but those people I painted are also my heroes, you know, and I sympathize with everybody around these issues as much as I can with my experience in life,” he said. “I felt that loss for Mercer and Macon.” Numina “is currently being advised by his attorneys and plans on pursuing his artistic rights under the full extent of the law,” according to a press release he provided to The Cluster. He intends to explore the Visual Artists’ Rights Act, which he said states that Mercer should have given him 90 days’ notice before painting over the mural. “Mercer did not provide Numina legal notice of its decision to paint over this extraordinary mural, which would have allowed him the ability to stop the destruction of his art or seek other remedies,” according to the press release. Numina said that the legal action isn’t as much about financial compensation as it as about reconciliation between Mercer and Macon. “There’s a real lack of awareness and entitlement to paint over that with complete disrespect and disregard to Macon’s African American community, as well as, you know, the student body in general of Mercer University. I think it’s just a huge, inconsiderate slap in the face,” Numina said. James Stair, a 2019 Mercer graduate in chemistry and women’s and gender studies, wrote a letter to University President Bill Underwood about the decision to remove the mural. “This was a several thousand dollar painting that was approved at every level, and repainting over this piece is a slap in the face of every Maconite that offered suggestions,” he wrote. “This is painting over Sam Oni. This is painting over Rosa Parks after a black woman across the street of the painting recommended that the painting include Rosa Parks specifically,” he wrote. Stair urged Underwood to apologize to Numina and the Macon community who gave Numina their input for the painting. He also called for Underwood’s resignation. “I am furious about this absurd demonstration of how little Mercer University cares about the people of Macon, and this directly conflicts with the University's Mission statement and values,” he wrote. “You should resign for what you allowed to happen today, as you have shattered everything that we have been working hard for through the many initiatives, classes, volunteer work, etc. to have a positive relationship with Macon.” Stair said he is “only one of many alumni that are outraged by this complete disrespect for every black student at this University.” Macon’s art community was also blindsided by the removal of Numina’s mural. Art in the Park, an organization named for a series of outdoor exhibitions of temporary public artworks supported by Mercer’s art department, posted on Facebook that it came “as a surprise since we have not heard of any other plans for the wall it was on.”
Christian Watson
Conner Hendricks
A college student’s guide to the economic stimulus bill
President Donald Trump signed a $2 trillion economic stabilization plan, the largest of its kind in United States history, to provide relief to the Americans facing sudden unemployment or under-employment during the COVID-19 response. Most American adults will receive up to $1200 via direct deposit, although the amount may be adjusted based on their income, with an additional $500 per child under 16 years old. But it’s not just the deposit — the bill also affects student loan payments and expands the definition of who can receive unemployment benefits. Will I receive a relief check? Most “traditional” college students will be excluded from the direct deposit. If a student was claimed as a dependent on a 2019 tax return, or if someone else pays for at least half of their expenses, they will not receive emergency aid, according to The New York Times’ rundown on the stimulus package. The majority of students under age 24 are still considered dependents. If nobody considers you their dependent, no matter your age, you may be eligible for the funds. There are limitations, however, so be sure to check the full guidelines. Am I eligible for unemployment benefits? Students who are not dependents may be eligible for unemployment benefits if they “are unemployed, are partly unemployed or cannot work for a wide variety of coronavirus-related reasons.” One of those reasons? If your workplace has closed its doors due to the outbreak—a fate which has befallen many Georgia restaurants, bars and small businesses. Part-time workers and gig workers, including rideshare and delivery drivers, sex workers and those who work on a freelance basis, are also eligible for benefits for the first time in U.S. history. You cannot receive unemployment benefits if you are a dependent, if you can work from home or if you are receiving paid sick or family leave. You are also ineligible if you are new to the workforce and unable to find your first job due to the coronavirus or economic fallout, which may be an important caveat for students graduating at the conclusion of this spring semester. Will my student loans be suspended? The answer depends on whether your loans are private or federal. The Department of Education (ED) announced March 13 that the Office of Federal Student Aid would waive interest for all borrowers with federally held student loans for at least 60 days. “That includes Direct Loans, as well as Federal Perkins Loans and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans held by ED,” according to StudentAid.gov Interest has been suspended already — you don’t have to do anything to begin that process. ED later announced in a March 20 release that borrowers can suspend payments entirely for up to two months. To take advantage of this assistance, borrowers need to call their loan servicer to request a waiver, according to The New York Times. The only exception would be if a borrower was already more than 31 days late on their most recent payment; in that case, their servicer would suspend subsequent payments automatically. Suspensions are not guaranteed for students with private loans. Sallie Mae and Navient, two large private lenders, both committed to offering suspension for up to three months, but borrowers must contact the companies to let them know how their finances have changed due to COVID-19 in order to have their loans suspended. Students are encouraged to contact their private lender with questions. What if I’m undocumented? If you’re a part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program with Temporary Protected Status, you should still be eligible for both the direct deposit and unemployment aid, according to KQED — but that’s if you’re not a dependent. Mixed-status families are likely to be excluded, and unemployment insurance will be offered only to immigrants with work permits. “A U.S.-citizen wife who is married to an undocumented husband, or Dreamer children with undocumented parents—those families, if they’re filing tax returns together, would not be eligible for the cash payment,” Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, told The New Yorker March 31. Direct deposits and unemployment benefits are not available for immigrants who do not have a Social Security Number, regardless of whether they pay taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. What resources are available to me if I have more questions? For general information, The New York Times has updated their F.A.Q. about all aspects of the economic stimulus bill as recently as March 31. The Times also maintains a hub for help figuring out your finances during the coronavirus crisis. The federal student aid website published an FAQ about aid and loans in the time of COVID-19 as well. If you have questions about your aid at Mercer University, the federal student aid website encourages students to contact their school. The website also says that students with a federal Work-Study job can contact their school about possibly receiving payment for scheduled hours or completing their work through other means, such as working from home. Mercer’s Office of Financial Planning staff are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (478) 301-2670 for Macon students, (678) 547-6444 for Atlanta students or (478) 796-9480 via text. You can also email your financial aid counselor, whose name and contact information is available on your MyMercer homepage.
Micah Johnston
Micah Johnston is a junior journalism and media studies major here at Mercer. Micah recently completed an internship with Georgia Public Broadcasting, where his work was both aired on GPB Radio and published digitally. This year, Micah hopes to oversee fun, informative and sometimes emotional sports stories as Sports Editor for The Cluster. When he's not editing articles for The Cluster, you can find Micah playing drums, reading sci-fi novels, producing original music and, of course, watching copious amounts of sports.
Lars Lonnroth
Lars Lonnroth, The Cluster's News Editor for fall 2020, is a sophomore journalism and political science student, originally coming from the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. During his time doing high school journalism, Lars won around 30 national and state journalism awards, including winning first in the nation for his podcast "The Happenings at the Halls" at the National Scholastic Press Association conference. Starting his journalism career at his high school radio station WLTL, Lars has spent a lot of time working in audio journalism and interned with Georgia Public Broadcasting's podcasting and digital news departments over the summer. During his time working with The Cluster, he has covered a wide array of issues, including the Student Government Association, on-campus housing and the variety of events hosted by the Mercer community. When not reporting, you can find Lars giving tours as part of the Office of Admissions, working with students as a Peer Advisor or running laps on the UC track.
Connor Hendricks
Breaking: Courses will remain online for duration of spring semester, first Mercer student tests positive for COVID-19
Mercer University has made the decision to continue offering all courses online only, according to an email from President Bill Underwood Friday morning. The update comes after a series of communications regarding the university’s plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Underwood’s March 15 email, all instruction was to be delivered online until April 3. On or before April 3, the university committed to deciding whether or not to continue virtual learning until the end of the spring semester. Most students from the Macon campus have returned home, but Underwood said that those who chose to remain on campus are allowed to stay. “I have asked Residence Life to work with any student in need of staying on campus for some or all of the remaining semester and we will continue providing student services to those who remain,” he said. As for students who chose to return home until April 3, they are not required to return to campus to retrieve their belongings until the end of the semester. An email from Mercer Housing and Residence Life said students who choose to continue living on campus must register to remain on campus by March 31. For students who want to pick up their personal belongings before the end of the semester, instruction varies based on residence hall. Students will also be reimbursed for “unused board and university housing,” the email reads. This includes those who live in the Lofts. “You will receive further information once this plan is finalized, which requires careful analysis of financial aid implications,” Underwood said. Dining options will be limited due to the pandemic, said Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services Ken Boyer in an email to students. The Fresh Food Company in the Connell Student Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for brunch and 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for dinner. No other dining options are available, including Provision on Demand locations. The university will host commencement ceremonies for graduating seniors, but they may not take place as scheduled. Underwood said that no decision will be made prematurely, and there will be updates by mid-April. Underwood gave the Mercer community parting words of thankfulness. “I remain incredibly grateful for the many expressions of grace and patience I have received from throughout the Mercer family, and I fully understand the expressions of frustration,” Underwood said. “Please be safe and healthy until I see you again.” Following Underwood’s announcement, an email from Senior Assistant Vice President for Marketing Communications Rick Cameron told the community that a graduate student on Mercer University’s main campus in Macon tested positive on Friday for the novel coronavirus. The student tested positive in Atlanta, where they are currently quarantined in their residential home “in satisfactory condition.” The student has not visited the Macon campus since March 13, according to the email. They lived in an apartment off-campus with two roommates. The roommates, as well as a third student who was in close contact with the sickened student, are all enrolled in graduate programs. Although they have shown no symptoms, these students will also be quarantined off-campus until April 2. Cameron said that Mercer University is working with public health officials to identify anyone else who may have been exposed to the student while they were infectious. To protect their privacy, no other information about the affected student was provided. The United States now reports the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world, according to CNN. That number sat at 100,013 on Friday evening. As of 11:30 a.m. Saturday, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported 2,366 total cases of COVID-19 in the state. Of those, 617 people were hospitalized and 69 died. At least 11 cases have been confirmed in Bibb County. Mercer students are encouraged to contact the Student Health Center hotline at (478) 301-7425 if they develop a cough or shortness of breath along with a fever. The hotline is available 24/7 whether the caller is on or off campus. All Mercer communications can be found on the COVID-19 page on their website. The Cluster will continue to report any developments with the university’s plans.
Bullying persists beyond school walls for Georgia’s bisexual students, but times are changing
When Nicholas came out as bisexual to his classmates in the ninth grade, most of them were receptive. One of his friends, however, was “taken aback.” His friend told him, “you know, I don’t usually hang out with f******s, but I guess I can make an exception for you.” Nicholas, who grew up and attended public school in Macon, said the bullying he experienced didn’t end with comments. “You get stopped invited to go over to people's houses, you know, certain friends don't want to hang out with you. And it's just little things like that you really don't realize as a kid, but more as an adult you realize, oh, this happened because I came out of the closet,” he said. LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately made targets of bullying and violence Nationally, youth who are or are perceived to be part of the LGBTQ+ community are disproportionately made targets of bullying and violence at the hands of not only their peers, but also at the hands of adults such as teachers, family members and friends’ parents. The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance report conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that students who identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum are at increased risk for bullying. While 17.1% of heterosexual students nationally reported being bullied on school property and 13.3% reported cyberbullying, 33% of LGBTQ+ students were bullied at school and 27.1% were bullied online. The Georgia Department of Education collects yearly data on the prevalence of bullying in public schools by county. The data doesn't specify how many cases involve LGBTQ+ youth. However, Bibb County Schools reported 232 total cases in the 2017-2018 school year and 278 cases in 2018-2019. The effects of bullying prompt academic, personal and emotional problems. Ten percent of LGBTQ+ students reported being so worried about their safety that they skipped school, according to Stop Bullying, a federal resource. The organization found that “bullying puts youth at increased risk for depression, suicidal ideation, misuse of drugs and alcohol, risky sexual behavior and can affect academics as well,” and LGBTQ+ youth are at increased risk for all of these. ‘Being in a fraternity I think is where I received most of my discrimination for being bisexual’ [sidebar title=align="left" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"] Nicholas did not want to share his last name due to the sensitive nature of his story. [/sidebar] Nicholas, now a third-year at Mercer University, said the bullying didn’t stop when he began college. He joined a fraternity his freshman year, and between the gendered environment of fraternity life and the lack of resources available for LGBTQ+ youth, he often felt isolated. “Being out and being in a fraternity was, I think is, significantly harder than being straight in a fraternity, because the fraternity I was in often gave the perception of us like we are, you know, this masculine-type organization,” he said. “The idea of bringing men back to the fraternity house never crossed my mind, and I never did it for the fact that you’d get made fun of for it.” Nicholas said he felt pressured by the hypermasculinity emphasized within the fraternity to downplay his sexuality. “Being in a fraternity I think is where I received most of my discrimination for being bisexual,” he said. “I really haven't dipped into the more homosexuality side of, you know, who I am, or I've kept it more hidden because you have to get this manly persona.” He said that since leaving the fraternity, he’s been more open to exploring his attraction to other men. On a trip to Madrid over the summer, he went to his first gay bar. Compared to the southeastern United States, he said “the LGBT community is highly supported” in Spain. He’s also spent time in California, where he said the more socially liberal environment provides a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people. ‘The assumption was that gay people did not exist in our community’ Gabby Koyfman is a student at Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, 40 minutes from her hometown of Suwanee. Like Nicholas, Koyfman also identifies as bisexual. She said she knew that she was attracted to women as early as middle school, but didn’t feel comfortable coming out until her first year of college. The culture in her high school was one reason she didn’t disclose her identity for so long. “From the outside, it looked like a very accepting school, but once you were actually there, you felt so ostracized,” she said. “It definitely made me feel a bit afraid later on to come out, even to the people that were gay, even though it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to be afraid of that. But later on, just experiencing the kind of Christian and conservative community that I was in, it just made me feel nervous that people were gonna think differently of me, that I was gonna be a different person if I took that step.” She said that LGBTQ+ issues and identities were rarely discussed in the classroom, but when they were, it created a culture of erasure. “The assumption was that gay people did not exist in our community, and that whenever we did talk about gay people in class, it was people that were ‘over there.’ You know, they exist somewhere, but they’re not here,” she said. “The way that the bullying took form was the assumption that they did not exist in the classroom, or if they did, it was something to be shocked about.” She said she didn’t feel comfortable going to faculty for help, in part because many of her teachers were the ones enforcing the idea of LGBTQ+ youth as “other” in the classroom. Her friends, most of whom also identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, were supportive when she came out, but Koyfman said her parents weren’t sure how to react at first. “My mom still kind of has this idea that women that are attracted to women are masculine, so her thing was more like, ‘I think that you’re confused. I don’t think that you’re actually attracted to women.’ Which, we’ve grown past that now, but in the moment, that was her reaction,” she said. [pullquote speaker="Gabby Koyfman" photo="" align="right" background="off" border="none" shadow="off"]The way that the bullying took form was the assumption that they did not exist in the classroom, or if they did, it was something to be shocked about.[/pullquote] Koyfman’s concerns about coming out reflect a national culture of discrimination against bisexuals, known as biphobia. The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy at the University of California- Los Angeles found that over half of non-heterosexual Americans identify as bisexual. However, only 28% of bisexuals said most or all of the important people in their lives knew about their sexual orientation, compared to 71% of lesbians and 77% of gay men, according to a Pew Research Center survey. The reluctance to come out often stems from fear of rejection. The Pew Research Center study found that 30% of bisexuals were subjected to slurs or jokes, while 31% were rejected by a friend or family member due to their sexuality. Nearly half of LGBT adults feel that there is “little or no social acceptance” for bisexual men in particular, the study found. For Koyfman and Nicholas, much of the biphobia they’ve experienced came from within the LGBTQ+ community. When Nicholas visited his first gay bar in Madrid, some of the friends he went with diminished his bisexuality. “I experienced, you know, multiple things, but my gay friends over there, they’d be like, ‘you're not straight. You're not bi, man, you're just gay,’” he said. “That really puts you down. But you really have to reassert yourself.” Nicholas attributes some of that biphobia to the way bisexuals are portrayed in entertainment media. Often, because bisexuals are attracted to more than one gender, they are assigned the stereotype of being indecisive or more likely to cheat on their partners. The Los Angeles Times reported that many bisexuals “avoided coming out because they didn't want to deal with misconceptions that bisexuals were indecisive or incapable of monogamy — stereotypes that exist among straights, gays and lesbians alike.” Koyfman said another aspect of biphobia is the idea within the LGBTQ+ community that bisexuals in “straight-passing” relationships cannot attend LGBTQ+ Pride events, should not bring their partner to these events or are not considered marginalized. “That still doesn’t make you straight. You’re bisexual, and I still think you should be able to celebrate that if you want to,” Koyfman said. Attitudes towards LGBTQ+ Americans are changing both on and off campus While the LGBTQ+ population as a whole still grapples with discrimination in the United States, attitudes continue to shift towards acceptance. In 2004, the Pew Research Center found that 60% of Americans opposed same-sex marriage while just 31% favored it. By 2019, the numbers had flipped: 61% of Americans supported it outright while 31% opposed. LGBTQ+ Americans report that they have felt society become more welcoming to them. In 2013, an overwhelming majority of 92% of LGBTQ+ Americans said they felt more accepted over the past decade. [pullquote speaker="Kyle Shook, Mercer alum" photo="" align="left" background="off" border="none" shadow="off"]I don’t know that the university realizes the very real fear that queer kids at Mercer face.[/pullquote] Mercer University’s relationship with the LGBTQ+ student body has also evolved. In 2006, the Georgia Baptist Convention ended its 170-year financial partnership with the school over concerns that Mercer “is more liberal than its Southern Baptist roots,” due in part to Mercer’s decision to support a National Coming Out Day event on campus hosted by the Triangle Symposium, the gay-straight alliance which became Common Ground. The Cluster also played a role in the split, according to the Baptist Press, as 29 faculty and staff took out an advertisement in the newspaper to endorse the event. Since the split, LGBTQ+ students are increasing visibility on Mercer’s campus. Common Ground runs a Facebook group with more than 360 members and a website which maintains a map of gender-neutral restrooms on campus. Members host weekly meetings and manage events such as the annual drag show. The group was allowed to host the show on campus for the first time in 2019, according to previous reporting by The Cluster. However, challenges remain. Mercer administration made the decision in 2018 to invite Jay Sekulow, a lawyer on President Donald Trump’s legal team, to campus as that year’s Founders’ Day speaker. Students and alumni signed a petition asking that his invitation be canceled due to his history of arguing against same-sex marriage and supporting anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiments as the chief counsel of the conservative American Center for Law and Justice. According to national progressive media who covered the fallout from Founders’ Day, students and faculty protested Sekulow’s speech by skipping the event, attending in LGBTQ+ pride attire or “grilling” him on his stances at a question-and-answer session that followed the speech. “I don’t know that the university realizes the very real fear that queer kids at Mercer face,” said Mercer alum and former Common Ground officer Kyle Shook. “There is a lot of progress yet to be made for LGBT students.” Those students have continued to advocate for a more welcoming campus since Sekulow’s speech. In 2019, McPherson Newell and Cefari Langford developed the Rainbow Connection training course, a voluntary initiative to help faculty at Mercer become more sensitive towards and respectful of LGBTQ+ students and the challenges they face on campus, and in 2017, Mercer alum and former Common Ground President James Stair conducted formal research and activism advocating for gender-inclusive housing options on campus. Current students have undertaken the project since Stair graduated. Common Ground continues to meet Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. in Knight Hall room 100. *Nicholas did not want to share his last name due to the sensitive nature of his story.
Clusterscopes: Uplifting messages for trying times
Let’s keep this issue’s intro short and sweet. We all know what’s happening. We’ve been practicing social distancing and adjusting to online classes. The news cycle is full of scary statistics. We don’t know how long any of this will last. The world feels confusing and uncertain. It’s the kind of situation where tarot can help us the most, however, so I’ll pull a card for each sign of the zodiac as a message about how to get through these trying times. Today, I’m using The Druidcraft Tarot Deck by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm because it’s an optimistic, grounding and nature-based deck. I think we could all use a little bit of that right now. Aries: King of Pentacles According to the guidebook by the deck authors, Kings represent “social responsibility, power, success, accomplishment” and steadfastness. We’ve also just entered Aries season, the zodiac new year, bringing forward a month of intense energy and impulsivity—especially for you. More than anyone else, you have a chance to set the tone for the year ahead. Hopefully, most of what we’re experiencing right now won’t last too much longer, but your reaction to the uncertainty can set a foundation for how you handle other challenges that you’ll face. The King of Pentacles suggests that you try your best to be productive during your extra time spent alone or at home, and implies that you may experience an improvement in your finances, business or career as a result of your hard work now. Taurus: Five of Swords Unfortunately, the Five of Swords is not usually a positive card. It’s a card that reminds us of “the darkness before the dawn”—that sometimes, things must get worse before they can get better. In terms of the social isolation measures, the excess time to yourself might feel bleak and scary. This card suggests you’ve given into feelings of defeat. Do your best to rise above what’s bringing you down. Perhaps use some grounding techniques or read about how to manage anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. You will get through this! Gemini: The Lady Corresponding to The Empress in the traditional tarot archetypes, The Lady symbolizes that which we can bring into the world when we draw upon our innate skills and interests. According to the authors of the Druidcraft Tarot Deck, The Lady asks you to “open yourself to the fertile nurturing power of the Goddess. This power will fill you with passion and the ability to be creative and to enjoy a life of abundance and sensual delight.” Use your time in quarantine to make art, redecorate your living space, try out new recipes, write that play you’ve always dreamt of or pursue any other creative endeavor that you finally have time to do, and don’t be afraid to share it with others when you’re done! Cancer: Three of Wands The Three of Wands signifies a perfect time to plan, but first, you must be confident in what you’re trying to build or accomplish. It’s a good moment for you to communicate about, write down or plan out the long-term goals you have for an intellectual or business pursuit. This card isn’t necessarily a collaborative one, but it’s actually better to go it alone for now anyway. Leo: Nine of Wands As I’ve discussed before, Nines represent the final step of the journey you’re taking related to the suit; with the Wands, it’s a journey related to intellectual or spiritual pursuits. This card is a reminder to be cautious. There is nothing necessarily standing in your way, but you may feel compelled to run to the finish line given the current environment — whether you want to finish something before or during this time of increased isolation — and the Nine of Wands suggests that doing so might throw a wrench in your progress. Just because you’re close to completion doesn’t mean that now is the time to hurry. Tendencies to rush may be stronger now than before in Aries season. Be wary. Virgo: Ten of Cups Oddly enough, this is probably a good time for you, Virgo. The guidebook for the Druidcraft Tarot explains that “you can be blessed with good fortune, success and a warm, loving family,” and that there may be a sense of having emerged victorious after a battle of sorts. It’s also the card of looking on the bright side. Maybe you wanted a break from school, and you got it. Maybe you desperately wanted to spend more time with your family; now here’s your chance. Although the circumstances bringing these changes about are obviously quite negative, you should focus on finding the good in it where you can to help you get through it. Libra: Six of Wands The Six of Wands often indicates a strong leadership role — one that brings success and satisfaction to all parties. Find opportunities to help others during this time. Whether that means cooking dinner for your family while you’re all stuck at home or encouraging your roommates to spend an afternoon playing board games together instead of watching Netflix independently, you can be the one who brings cooperation and harmony to your living space and inspires others to stay positive and motivated. Sometimes, keeping morale up is the most honorable form of leadership there is. Scorpio: Nine of Pentacles Now is an excellent time for introspection, or of “living your ideals,” according to the authors of the Druidcraft Tarot Deck. That means “you may be keen to succeed — both materially and spiritually” and should focus on “enjoying the benefits of a successful and full life on your own” during this time of increased solitude. You have the opportunity now to study yourself, your spirituality and your personal interests rather than remain distracted by endless social obligations and in-person academic requirements. As a Scorpio, time alone is something you appreciate. Use it to grow. Sagittarius: Seven of Pentacles This might not seem too pertinent right now, but the Seven of Pentacles is a great financial omen. It’s a card that suggests good results for whatever you’re working on right now and manifestation of your goals. However, it’s also a card that demands patience. The authors of the Druidcraft Tarot Deck suggest to “clear unnecessary clutter from your life (and) take stock of a situation before moving forward” while you wait. When you come out on the other side of this quarantine, things will improve readily. Recalibrate in the meantime. Capricorn: The Lovers Yes, it’s an ironic card to pull during a time when we aren’t supposed to get closer than six feet away from anyone, but listen: The Lovers is a dynamic card with many interpretations. It’s probably not suggesting that your love life is about to take off, but what it could mean is that you will grow in your relationship with someone else — or with yourself. For example, you may be calling family on the phone more than usual, or FaceTiming your college friends every day while you’re at home. Or, maybe all this time alone is giving you the space you need to reconcile two conflicting parts of yourself. Either way, some form of love is set to blossom. According to the authors of the Druidcraft Tarot Deck, “at every moment you have a choice. Love is at the heart of life. All creation is born out of love.” Aquarius: Justice It’s a somewhat dark card, but not necessarily a negative one. Justice asks us to think karmically — not what you may have done to “deserve” isolation, exactly, but what you must do to move forward in it. Most likely, you’ll need to resolve the battle between acceptance and denial of the circumstances we’re faced with. Temptations to downplay the severity of the virus or the necessity of social distancing may be strong. Lean in and accept that this is out of your individual control. Do what you can to help others, practice more self-care than usual and remember: this is not forever. The balance will one day be restored. Pisces: The Wheel Sweet Pisces, the scary state of the world right now is probably more haunting to you than to most of the other signs. The Wheel, like Justice, serves a reminder that we cannot control what happens next as much as we wish we could; that what goes up, must come down; that where we are now is subject to change, not at our will but at the will of the universe. Not a particularly comforting message, I know, but what it does suggest is that a new season or cycle of your life has the chance to begin due to the shake-up in the routines you were used to. This is where you do have control. What do you want to create or become? Take this time to make it happen.
Tips for online classes during the COVID-19 response
Mercer University President Bill Underwood announced March 15 that classes would be suspended until March 23 due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. Additionally, students no longer have the option to attend classes in-person. The university has moved to online learning until at least April 3, and potentially through the rest of the spring term. If you’ve never taken an online class before, this new reality could be daunting. However, there are ways to stay focused and keep your momentum from the first part of the semester going. Take them seriously The hardest part of online classes for many people is remembering that it’s still a “real class” even though you don’t meet in person. Some may even feel tempted to cheat if a class involves virtual exams. Keep in mind that you’re still paying for your courses, and your professors are putting in just as much—if not more—work to teach you the material in an alternative format. This change isn’t ideal for any of us, but we have to make the best of it. Find a study space Whether you’re back at home or hunkering down in the dorms, it’s important to designate a space as your work area. Just because you can do your work without leaving your bed doesn’t mean you should. It’s easy to slip into sleep or struggle to feel motivated when you’re too cozy. Libraries and coffee shops are usually great, but to help prevent an outbreak, we should avoid them as much as possible right now. In that case, you may want to throw it back to high school and make your parents’ kitchen table your study space again. Just make sure it’s somewhere with few distractions, and try to use the same place each day so you train your brain to enter work mode once you’re there. Create a study schedule Since you no longer have specific hours that you’ll be in class, it can seem like you have the entire day to get everything done. So, you don’t feel pressured to work on your assignment that’s due at midnight when you wake up in the morning—you can do it after lunch! As the afternoon sets in and you’re two seasons deep into your new favorite show, you tell yourself you can do it in the evening. Then the sun sets and you decide to do it after dinner. But now your best friend wants to FaceTime, and before you know it, it’s 11:03 p.m. and you’ve done nothing. To avoid this situation, set up a study schedule to keep yourself on track. You don’t have to plan every second of every day, but if you know you’re a morning person, set aside the first two hours of your day for schoolwork. Or, if your 2 p.m. class plans to meet virtually through Zoom, try to finish homework once you log off, since you’ll already be thinking about academics. You know yourself best, so find what works for you. Work with your professors You didn’t sign up for online classes this semester, I get it — but your professors didn’t either. Some of them may be offering virtual instruction for the first time, and we all know that some professors are more skilled than others when it comes to technology. You’ll need to be patient with them and understand that they’re probably feeling uncomfortable too. They had to redesign a syllabus that may include labs, presentations, physical education requirements or field trips, and they only had a week to do it. Keep in mind that they’re still your professors. You can still reach out to them by email or phone to ask questions and get feedback, just as you could before—and you should! Taking the initiative to stay connected with instructors is crucial when you’re taking online classes since it’s easier to get lost when you don’t meet in person. Mercer University will decide by April 3 whether online courses will continue or if the school will shift back to attending class meetings. No matter how long you’ll be working remotely, you can keep up the good work and power through the rest of the semester.
How to manage coronavirus anxiety
To top off a semester that was already challenging for many of us, Mercer University has made the contentious decision to move to remote learning until at least April 3. In the midst of a global pandemic that’s causing lockdowns and panic-shopping and mandating social isolation, we have to navigate how best to balance our coursework and support our communities. Suffice it to say, it’s totally okay to feel stressed right now. It’s not just those of us who are prone to anxiety, depression or discomfort in rocky situations who may be feeling uncomfortable. The novel strain of coronavirus, known as COVID-19, has prompted unprecedented responses that could be jarring to anyone. We don’t know what’s going to happen next, and the whole world seems more and more fearful by the day. What’s most important right now is well-being—but not just physically. It’s crucial to take care of yourself emotionally, too. Here’s how to stay sane when the entire planet seems to be coming apart at the seams. Make peace with your feelings It’s easy to work yourself up by convincing yourself that you shouldn’t be feeling the way you’re feeling. If you’re stressed by all the uncertainty, don’t get mad at yourself for feeling that way. Don’t try to repress it or pretend you’re not worried. That will only make you feel worse. Alternatively, don't feel like you have to be upset if you aren’t. Your feelings may change from day to day or even hour to hour. Understand that there is no normal reaction to an abnormal situation. Your feelings are valid, and accepting them for what they are is the first step to finding your calm. Stay connected with friends and family Most of us will be practicing some form of social distancing for a while. Isolation can be troubling for anyone, especially for those who already suffer from depression or anxiety. Combat loneliness by checking in with people you love and who love you, too. Using the wonders of modern technology like FaceTime and Skype, we can bring loved ones together like no other generation in history could. If you’re headed home, you can still talk to your college family, and if you’re staying on our increasingly quiet campus, your home family is just a phone call away. Know if you need to unplug That said, sometimes social media can drain us more than it empowers us. There are scary (and sometimes misleading) statistics, pessimistic news stories and photos of depleted grocery store shelves that constantly remind us of the situation at hand. Deleting your apps for even 24 hours can help you refresh your sense of calm. You can also mute words and phrases on some platforms, such as Twitter, so you can filter out the coronavirus content while staying up-to-date with friends. Create a semblance of normalcy Aside from causing loneliness, social isolation and school closures disrupt our usual routines. It’s easy to slip into an odd liminal space where you don’t know what to do with your time, even if you have plenty of work to do. Without the constraints of having places to be, motivating yourself to do things becomes a struggle. To avoid this, you can create your own schedule to structure the day. Try blocking out a few hours in the morning to do your online schoolwork, sometime in the afternoon to call loved ones and an evening to unwind in whatever ways you choose. If you do the same sort of task every morning, every afternoon and every night, the rest will fall into place and help you feel as normal as possible. Find the positives The pandemic is serious, as much as some of us may want to think it isn’t. Looking for a “bright side” feels a little disingenuous. Yes, this is temporary; but what might happen before it’s over is yet to be seen and something we can’t shrug off. So, look for the positives in your personal day-to-day experience rather than try to find them in the overall situation. Here’s one. Your break from school, if you’re taking it, may allow you to finally catch up on some leisure activities you’ve wanted to do but couldn’t due to all the responsibilities that come along with being a student. Personally, I’m binging “Broad City” and finally making progress on the stack of books I got for Christmas. I’ve also deep-cleaned my space and redecorated my room. Another, more meaningful positive in all of this is that, while social distancing is keeping us apart, it’s also bringing us together in an odd way. We’re likely to find ourselves talking to each other more (remotely, but still) and checking up on how our loved ones are doing. Even if it’s just sending someone a meme, we’re staying connected, and that’s the most important thing.
Samantha Homcy
Samantha Homcy is a sophomore at Mercer and is majoring in journalism and criminal justice. She started writing for The Cluster as soon as she got to Mercer and she is looking forward to another year. In addition to journalism, Sam enjoys photography, music, community service and watching TV.