Weekly Briefing: Nearly a month has passed since our campus was whole
The first week of spring break began March 9, which was nearly a month ago. It has been almost one month since we were all on campus with zero inkling as to how drastically our university experience was going to change in just a few short weeks.
The newspaper took a week off during the chaos, but we have been attempting to continue as best as we can. We hold meetings twice a week via Google hangouts and have managed to put out material almost every week. I have to say that I could not be prouder of the dedicated, talented staff that I was lucky enough to have during this madness.
This issue is jam packed with important information on the COVID-19 Disease, along with ideas for getting through quarantine with your head still screwed on, and other interesting articles to keep you occupied.
This week News Editor Noelle Kriegel researched the potential link between warm weather and the coronavirus, though empirical evidence of or contrary to the theory has yet to be collected. She also collected all the COVID-19 information released by the South Carolina governor over the last few weeks and created infographics related to it. She also wrote an article about the influence of social distancing on mental health and another on core exercises that can be completed with limited space.
Arts and Entertainment Editor Erica Bennett created a list of apps and websites to keep you occupied during quarantine, along with a playlist of jams sure to keep your mood up. She also made a list of books that she suggests as a sure-fire way to counter boredom.
Opinions Editor David Frantz wrote about some of the cancelled events we’ll be missing out on due to the coronavirus and social distancing, along with covering the recent opening of a new, specialty medical practice in Aiken. As our resident baby boomer on staff, Frantz also wrote a column about the striking truth that in his more than 60 years of life he has never experienced anything like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reporter Angel-Hope Watts wrote a list of ways to stay relaxed (and sane) during social distancing, along with a list of mental health resources that are still available despite social distancing practices.
Business Manager Cole Maddox wrote a column about why he, and some experts, believe that there are racist implications behind referring to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus.”
Kreigel, Bennett and I all contributed to a perspectives article about our starkly different experiences during the quarantine. I also wrote the weekly COVID-19 update, the numbers in which were checked at 8 p.m. Sunday night.
That’s all for this week, Pacers. As both students and USC Aiken’s newsies, we on staff understand how difficult the transition from face-to-face learning to online classes can be. We wish you all the best of luck and all the solidarity possible. We only have a few more weeks to go. We can do this.
