By Harper Mayfield | Sports Writer
Coming back to Baylor this semester, there was one thing on the minds of many students; new testing policies. Baylor now requires every student to test for COVID-19 at least once a week. A number of students were not too pleased with the stricter testing rules and made their opinions known on social media and in conversation. The thing is though, testing weekly really isn’t that bad.
I won’t lie to y’all, I wasn’t thrilled about it when I got the email over the break. I didn’t love the idea of a swab being in my brain once every seven days, but I’ve changed my tune two weeks in.
Having now taken two of the weekly tests, they’re much better than last semester’s random tests were. You get to handle the swab, eliminating a lot of the pain of the previous iteration. You know how far that thing can go in your nose, someone else might not.
You get one of those three dollar vouchers just about every time you test, compared to the one eight dollar voucher most students received last semester. As nice as those things are, they don’t really compare to the main benefit of more consistent testing.
Increased testing protocol will likely lead to more in-person events, and if that’s what happens, it’s all worth it. Sick of basketball tickets selling out in 15 seconds? Yeah, me too. If more tests give Baylor a better handle on our COVID numbers, seating capacity in the Ferrell Center could increase. The same goes for baseball games, Sing and Dr. Pepper hour.
“Originally I was against the idea of weekly testing,” said Lucas freshman Benj Nopper. “But I am pleasantly surprised with the efficiency of it so far. I would like to see students rewarded for their patience — and more just a wellness day. I would love to be able to attend at least one basketball game this year. I’d test every day if I didn’t have to wear a mask.”
Nopper’s sentiments have been echoed by a number of students, all seeking the return of on-campus events. Ultimately, if increased testing gets things even a little closer to being back to normal, it’s worth it. In such a weird year, no student should be against bringing about some sense of normalcy, even if it means they have to swab their nose a little more often.
