Hey Patriots,

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to go back to a semblance of normalcy in these very not-normal times. I want to go to the movies, or to a restaurant, or on a trip this summer or simply hang out with friends.

But the hard truth is that right now we can’t.

Not only is everything closed, it would be selfish for us to go do those things knowing the danger that comes with it. 

At the time of writing this, there are 8,053 cases of COVID-19 in Virginia according to the Virginia Department of Health. Of those 8,053 people, 258 have died. 

I know not all of us are currently in Virginia right now, but as the numbers nationwide continue to climb and our state governments expand stay-at-home orders, it’s easy to feel deflated about the situation. 

With President Donald Trump unveiling his three-phase plan to reopen areas with low transmission of the virus, and experts saying that the U.S. isn’t ready to do so, it’s obvious that our government officials don’t really know the best way to proceed with the situation. While reopening the economy is a concern to consider, no one wants to do so at the cost of human life. The simple truth is that we were not prepared for an outbreak like this. 

So, for now, we have to stay at home. Our Culture section has put together a few guides for you to help fill up your time and distract yourself from the ongoing developments for a little while. Check out their list on what to watch on various streaming services (no, “Tiger King” is not one of the suggestions), or their Coronavirus Survival Guide. I, myself, would recommend checking out the penguin documentary on Disney+ if you can. Seriously, it’s really cute.

Meanwhile, our Sports section is keeping you up to date on all things Mason sports and has an update for you on the transfer portal. Check it out here. 

Our Opinion section covers a wide array of topics surrounding the coronavirus. One of them champions our healthcare workers and talks about all that they are dealing with during this pandemic. Check it out here. 

Finally, our News section has everything you need to know about going on at Mason. If you missed Anne Holton’s virtual town hall on Friday, check out our News Editor Laura Scudder’s recap.

This is our second-to-last issue for you guys this year, but please feel free to email us at masonfourthestate@gmail.com with any comments, questions or concerns you have. We love to hear from you guys. 

Hang in there patriots,

Hailey Bullis

Co Editor-in-Chief