“COVID-19 has finally ended” has reigned the national sentiment as of last Monday. Americans across the nation are proudly proclaiming the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic in widespread celebration. While many states have believed the pandemic to have ended several months ago, here in California, the Sunshine state, we are just barely dipping our toes into the pool of life without COVID-19.

Obviously, there is still a lingering trace of the virus in the air, and a large number of Californians remain cautious and wary of its reach. Nevertheless, the number of California cases is reaching an all time low, and now that almost 70% of Californians have been vaccinated against the virus, the public worry level is steadily declining (CDC). Furthermore, almost everyone in the community, and expectedly throughout the state has, at one point or another, been diagnosed with COVID-19, and widespread herd immunity is an expected proposition for most.

This sentiment was confirmed by Califorinia’s cool yet slightly controversial governor, Gavin Newsom, on February 28 when he made an announcement that left Califoirnians in utter shock and anticipation. Governor Newsom astonishingly announced that the statewide, public school mask mandate would be lifted on March 13, 2022. 

While the winding ending of the global pandemic and the termination of the statewide mask mandate is an unparalleled victory for most everyone around the state and the globe, there is one small demographic that is reluctant to celebrate its conclusion. A demographic that I so unfortunately find myself to be a leading member of… high school girls.

See, for any so-called “material girl” of the 21st century, makeup is a normal part of everyday life. From 10-45 minutes every morning, several high school girls around the state ,and around the world, for that matter–engage in the precise and calculated art of makeup. Social media and modern Western society have ingrained the importance of a well made up face to the minds of us impressionable teenage girls. There’s a reason that the average American teenage girl’s makeup bag is worth a predicted $525.88 (Cosmetics Business). Teenage girls are met with the unrealistic expectation that they have to appear in full glam for every random Tuesday, and this request is a daunting task for any ambitious teenage girl. 

With that in mind, the idea of a facial covering, spanning almost every inch of the mid and lower face, was an exciting proposition to teenage girls. Since  the return to school with a severe mask mandate last November, teen girls throughout the state have had the privilege of attending school as usual, but without the pressure of maintaining a face full of makeup. For me personally, those 14 months of school wearing masks was nothing short of alleviating, I was able to wake up an hour later, and I was able to flash my makeup-free face throughout my school without fear of judgment.

Then, there came the governor’s address. After almost a year and a half of a mask mandate, Califonrians were understandably excited to put the masks away. Even the teenage girl group cheered for the long awaited announcement of the elimination of the mask mandate. Then, an immediate realization of what a world without masks entailed occurred and led to the revelation of that deep-seated fear of morning makeup time.