u/CauseOdd8401

Some context: I am currently 26M, and I was a very careful masker during the pandemic. I tried to wear N95s and KN95s for much of it, even when many of my peers didn't. I can't remember when I stopped masking altogether, but it was probably somewhere in late 2022 or early 2023. I think one of the reasons I wasn't really fond of masks is because I caught my first bad case of COVID even despite wearing a KN95 or N95 (one of the two) and because they left marks on my face and ears at the end of the day. That, and of course, because 99% of people around me don't do so nowadays.

Now as a I plan to move to grad school, especially in a much bigger city where I plan to be out of the house a lot more, I am seriously considering going back to masking with KN95s and N95s when I can get my hands on some, and use at least a normal cloth or medical mask in the meantime. This was more after doing some reading into the cumulative effects of COVID thanks to some creators I follow. As such, I wanted to ask a few questions about the habits you have and why you do?

1. Nowadays, when do you think it is appropriate to mask, and when is it okay to leave it off (I'm talking for the average person, not those who say work in healthcare).
2. Do you have any recommendations for masks, especially for someone who wants them to be more comfortable and wear for a whole day? Or do I just have to suck it up. I also wear glasses if that helps.
3. What do you think will finally be time to get risk of masking? When the COVID is maybe someday declared over? When nasal vaccines come out reducing or almost eliminating the need for them? When?

Edit:

4. How does you wearing masks affect your relationships with friends, family, colleagues, and intimate partners, especially when being close to them for things like hugging or more intimate activities?

Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated; thank you! And I hope you can be understanding of my choices.

I'm not talking about someone liking a feminist reel on TikTok, going to a women's march, or just being respectful and supportive of women. These are the bare minimum, or close to it, and let's be honest, they don't do anything substantive on their own.

So what I'm asking, what would REALLY make a difference? What kind of support do you need really need? What do we really need to be if we really want to create a more equitable world for women and bring the patriarchy to its knees? Be as bold as you want with your suggestions.

How do we help you?

Edit: Thank you to everyone for your responses! The consensus seems to be to call out men on their poor behaviour, acknowledging harm, and being consistent in support, whether or not someone is looking. I will definitely keep this in mind as I continue to look for ways to be supportive of the feminist cause in the future!

https://preview.redd.it/llkzv9dow6zg1.png?width=1536&format=png&auto=webp&s=b1e183a1edf3180e1e9f7e557c3d1b2b05b07659

Name that airline (wrong answers only)

Disclaimer: I did use ChatGPT for this, my graphic design skills are not quite up to par

I'm mostly referring to any hacks or tricks you learned a little too late that significantly improved your life or workflow as an academic, or mistakes that are super easy to make (or understandable) but that made your life so much harder.

I tried asking a similar question in r/AskReddit (Profs who take pride in making their courses difficult, why?) and it was taken the wrong way so I am being more specific here.

I fully understand that courses are created with a specific purpose, and thus, a specific difficulty. What I am referring to are profs who decide to make a course difficult or unfair beyond what is necessary for the purpose of the course and its objectives. If my question is still unclear, please feel free to ask for clarification.