As seniors in high school are wrapping up this chapter of their lives, they are preparing for the next: college. Getting everything finalized is no easy feat, especially in a pandemic. A lot of colleges are requiring students to get vaccinated in order to stay on campus, and this is leaving a lot of students with no choice but to get the shot.

Senior Kate Ryan is majoring in nursing at Mizzou, and she’s staying in the Truman Central neighborhood. Mizzou is one of the many schools in Missouri that are requiring vaccines for each and every student on campus.

Ryan has already received her first shot, and her second one is in May. However, she wouldn’t have gotten the vaccine so soon if it wasn’t required of her.

“I am in child care and babysitting, and I am a special aid through the government. I help out my friend’s little sister who has disabilities and special needs, so I have to be in good health to volunteer at the Crisis Nursery. This just sped up the process,” Ryan said.

Some seniors are adamant on not getting the vaccine. Senior Xander Phillips is attending St. Charles Community College for two years, and then transferring to the University of Kansas—and neither college is mandating the vaccine. Phillip’s response is that at no point in time will he be getting the vaccine, for personal reasons.

Other seniors are in no rush to get the shot, but plan to get it in the future.

Senior Audrey Weber is going to Lindenwood as a Fine Arts major, as well as playing for their volleyball team. She doesn’t know yet if Lindenwood is requiring students who are living on campus to get the vaccine, but she plans to get it nonetheless.

“I am not going to get the vaccine until everyone else who absolutely needs it has gotten it, like the high risk and the elderly people who could die from it. I’m not high risk, so I’m not going to get it until I know that everyone else who really needs it is safe, but I do plan on getting it sometime in the future,” Weber said.  

Overall, everyone is trying to do what’s best for them and for their community. Whether you get the shot or not, stay safe and keep your distance!