Amelia Mendes headshot
“Some are satin, some are steel, some are silk and some are leather. They’re the faces of a stranger, but we love to try them on.” When Billy Joel wrote “The Stranger,” one of his most iconic songs, the concept of people wearing masks was a purely metaphorical one, alluding to the ways in which we consciously make choices in how we present ourselves and how we see others. While some of us now actually wear satin and even leather face masks, the original sentiment continues to be relevant, leading us to wonder: What “masks” are we choosing to wear?
In fact, our college years are a time of metamorphosis, providing us with the unique opportunity to try on the masks of who we think we want to become. For others, it’s a chance to start fresh: A social reintroduction of our now young adult selves to our peers. But with the pandemic putting almost a year of our social lives on hold, it’s high time that, as a pack, we start finding ways to allow our inner social wolves to begin to roam free — within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, of course. Unfortunately, as long as actual masks are still required, the new mask of an extrovert can be particularly difficult to put on, but by no means impossible.
In reality, it’s nothing more than a harmless piece of cloth. However, it can feel like the ultimate adversary — the Genghis Khan of the social scene, but masks don’t need to hinder our communication nearly as much as we think they do. If you want to meet people, you’ve just got to take the plunge. Hence, I decided to get a little more perspective by interviewing a few fellow wolves on the subject.
Jack Spraker, a first-year studying life sciences, reminds us how you need to be willing to put in the work to expand your social circles.
“You have to put yourself out there,” Spraker said. “You can’t just wait around for opportunities to come to you; you have to go out and get them yourself.”
Carine Elias, a second-year in exploratory studies, agreed, going on to assure us that “even if you might be a little uncomfortable at first, just start by saying ‘hi’ to someone.”
We all know that first “hi” can be hard, but keep in mind, it’s just a harmless acknowledgment. You’re not desperate. You’re not asking someone to marry you, or to be your lifelong friend. You’re just saying “hi.” For those wolves who have ventured from out of state, remember that you’re in North Carolina, and here being friendly is just the Southern way.
Nimi Vasipalli, a second-year studying life sciences, is, like many of us, a strong advocate for small talk.
“I’m a pretty outgoing person,” Vasipalli said. “So if someone said ‘hi’ to me in the hallway, I’d definitely talk to them.” Translation: Have some faith in your fellow wolf. Your chances of straight-up rejection are much lower than you think.
If you’re on campus, and I can’t emphasize this enough,everybody who went to the trouble of being on campus this semester is there to socialize, otherwise they’d be at home. Luckily, many have chosen to reach out by knocking on other dorm doors, introducing themselves to neighbors or joining sports programs, clubs and Greek life.
Still not sure where to start? Some students I spoke with recommend checking out your dorm lounge or activities planned by resident advisers as great opportunities for mingling with neighbors. The general consensus was that Talley is the central social hub, as it offers a continuous stream of new people.
If you do strike up a conversation with someone who isn’t in one of your classes and you’d like to see them again, I suggest you get their contact information immediately. NC State is a big campus, and it’s likely you might not run into them for a while. For those who are living at home and don’t get to campus regularly, don’t be afraid to get to know people on Zoom. Unmasked faces, albeit on a screen, can be refreshing.
“I find people in [online] classes,” said Lukas VanTilburg, a first-year studying computer science. “Whether I’m grouped up with them in a breakout room or project group, I usually contact them afterwards and we can go from there.”
So, if you talk to someone in a breakout room and you’d like to get to know them a little more, friend them on social media. COVID-19 willend, and it’ll be nice if you already have some people to meet up with next semester. Jared Glover, a fourth-year studying mechanical engineering, might have put it best when he said, “We’re all in the same boat; let’s adapt together.”
Despite COVID-19, why not accept this time as an invitation to adopt the traits and characteristics that you’ve always admired in others, but have somehow failed to acknowledge in yourself? Try on a different mask; it might just be a perfect fit. If you’ve been thinking about getting into better shape, don your breathable, Under Armour face covering and head over to Carmichael Gymnasium. If you’ve always struggled with procrastinating and meeting deadlines, just consider yourself a verifiable intellectual and mask up to go cram in Talley Student Center until that English paper is done and submitted on Moodle. Finally, make eye contact with someone today and just say “Hi.”