A party creates a space where people can easily socialize and, above all else, get absolutely trashed. Partying is a fantastic part of many people’s transition to adulthood but is it everything? Is it worth the lives of others, just for a night you won’t remember? No.
Partying and pandemics are two things we should never combine. COVID-19 is still a threat. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus spreads easily in large, close-contact, inadequately ventilated gatherings. It sounds to me like everything we shouldn’t do happens at a typical party.
Right now, there is really only one ethical way to party and it’s done by following the measures put in place by your city—in Ottawa, that means limiting indoor gatherings to 25 and outdoor ones to 100. By ignoring these rules, partygoers actively ignore the best medical advice out there.
I enjoy partying, but due to restrictions, I have been getting my fix with a small group of fully vaccinated friends. Our parties never go over public health gathering limits, yet we are all still able to have fun and celebrate being young and dumb with each other.
If you and your friends are fully vaccinated, your partying options vary. According to the Government of Canada, small gatherings among fully vaccinated participants are deemed safe.
Some University of Guelph students decided to go forth with a “fake homecoming weekend” (FOCO) without the support of the school and health authorities. Unsupervised block parties took place on Sept. 10 and 17, with a combined number of over 1,500 students in attendance.
The university recorded several COVID-19 cases following the illegal gatherings. However, due to the number of people in attendance, contact tracing has proven difficult.
Partygoers do not want to admit to going because some of their peers are facing hefty fines, jail time and even expulsion. Those who do not admit to their attendance risk carrying the virus and spreading it to others.
It’s not just U of G, but Dalhousie, The University of British Columbia, Western University and Queen’s University have also reported issues with street parties and FOCOs.
We are all aware that younger people are significantly less likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19, but what about the parents we come home to? Our grandparents? The person with diabetes that runs on the treadmill next to us at the gym? The middle-aged women serving us food at a restaurant? When will people realize their actions in this pandemic can determine life or death?
Every time I open Instagram or Snapchat, my feed is flooded with my peers attending massive gatherings.
Opening my phone and seeing the selfish, self-obsessed and self-serving over and over again makes me feel physically ill. I never realized so many of my peers would trade someone’s life for a “good time,” often without even realizing it.
We were first taught right from wrong at a young age. However, the students attending these parties have lost their moral compass.
I, like the majority of young adults, want the ability to party. I have grown tired of the restrictions and mandates and I assume most of you have as well. But I also recognize the bigger picture. To get through this pandemic, we must work as a collective.
It is unfair that rule-followers miss out on activities because a few choose to ignore the same regulations. So please, I beg you, party safely. Especially this weekend as we celebrate the Panda game. Follow the rules backed by science and don’t risk your life or someone else’s over one night you’ll eventually forget.
Featured image from file.
