What to Look For In a Mask

Story by: Hannah Brown

The COVID-19 pandemic has created numerous changes in student’s daily lives.  One that feels most prominent has been masks.  There are many different styles and designs of masks, and students all look for different things when picking out their masks.

Senior Paige Dudley looks for masks that are comfortable and cute.

“I buy ones that fit my face well and shape my face.  Also I look for comfort and cute designs,” explained Dudley.

Senior Braden Beadleston agrees that comfort is important when it comes to finding the right mask. Beadleston likes for his masks to “Fit like a glove.”

Beadleston wears a 3D mask that has a separate piece of fabric to cover the nose, mouth and chin.

Dudley explained that she takes into consideration how well a mask would go with her outfits.

“I don’t want anything that would clash.”

Beadleston on the other hand doesn’t care about the appearance of the mask.

“I don’t really like having patterns, I would stick to solid colors,” Beadleston said.

For Beadleston the comfort of the mask comes first alongside how well it fits the health guidelines.

“Over the summer I just used the standard disposable mask and I struggled with it because my glasses would fog up all the time,” recalled Beadleston.  “Then I found a mask with the adjusters in the back but it didn’t have a chinstrap or a nose covering so they would still fog up occasionally.  I got the 3D model at the beginning of the year and I’ve used it ever since, my glasses don’t fog up and no air escapes.”

As the demand for masks has grown many individuals have begun to make their own masks, some have begun to sell or donate them as well. Freshman Campbell Mayer made masks for the Veterinary Clinic this summer as well as other essential workers.  

“Whenever everything started [my mom and I] thought oh we should try and make one and see how it comes out,” Mayer recollects.  “So we made one and we know the guy who owns the vet and he asked if I could make some for his workers so I did and then more people started asking me to make some.”

Mayer sews two different types of masks but both are 2 layers, pleated and have elastic ear straps. After all that practice Mayer has gotten very skilled at sewing the masks.

“I’m pretty quick now that I’ve been doing them, probably about 5 minutes per mask,” Mayer said.

When COVID-19 has come to a close Mayer said she would most likely keep some of her masks.

“I don’t know what else I’d do with them,” Mayer said.

Dudley stated that she would keep her masks in a post-pandemic world, mainly for sentimental reasons.

“I think I will have the memory, not that it’s a good memory, but I think it’s important to keep track of this so I can show my kids one day what happened and the history of it,” Dudley said thoughtfully.