Just volunteers
February 23, 2021
Here I am sitting behind a plexiglass shield in Burt Kahn Court, my usual spot at collection station one. It is so strange how normal this has become to all of us. I am a volunteer surrounded by other volunteers. We are the force of students, staff and faculty who make COVID-19 testing happen. And I stress, we are volunteers.
I am not sure that all the students going through testing realize that, and I think it is important for everyone to know. Each volunteer is here to help, and I imagine that we all have some real sense of the importance of what we are doing for our community. Personally, I also do it so I can see students in three dimensions rather than just on a flat screen. I admit that it means that I need to do more of my actual work into the evening hours, but I think it is more than worth it. And I love to be among other Quinnipiac community members who feel similarly.
What cannot be overstated is that we are doing the work as volunteers, so, when I read about students’ complaints that the testing is only occurring twice a week, and they are fed up with waiting in long lines, it hurts. We are truly doing our best, and we also have a full-time workload beyond the time we spend in Burt Kahn. This is the way that we keep our community safe, and I am so happy to be a part of it. So, if you find yourself on a long line awaiting the dreaded swab and feeling frustrated, take a moment, take a breath (the best you can through the mask) and remember that we are all just volunteers, doing what we can to keep everyone healthy.
