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April 9, 2020 | Vol. 94, No. 25
COVID-19 update
The first death reported in Calloway County, hospital slated as testing site Gage Johnson Editor-in-Chief gjohnson17@murraystate.edu Daniella Tebib News Editor dtebib@murraystate.edu The Calloway County Health Department confirmed the first death of a Calloway County resident related to COVID-19 on Tuesday, April 7. Case Update On Wednesday, April 8, Gov. Andy Beshear said that there were 204 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 1,346. Eight new deaths were also reported, bringing the total deaths in the state to 73. Testing Dr. Nicholas O’Dell, chief medical officer at the Murray-Calloway County Hospital, said he estimates the Murray-Calloway County Hospital has tested between 110 and 120 people. Out of those tests, nine cases have been confirmed as of press time. During the press conference on Tuesday, April 7, Steven Stack, public health commissioner, said the state currently does not have enough testing for those in need of it.
To help provide testing to more people, Murray Medical Associates and Murray-Calloway County Hospital are now offering expanded testing for COVID-19 after Beshear signed a contract with Gravity Diagnostics in northern Kentucky to set up 32 testing sites across the state. O’Dell and Jeff Eye, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer, sat down with Matt Johnson, lead pastor of Journey Church, during a livestream on For Calloway’s Facebook page on April 7. Odell and Eye answered questions from both Johnson and those viewing the livestream about the new information on testing and the pandemic. “We were one of the sites that were selected,” O’Dell said. “We’re working with hospitals in the area to help take some of that burden off of them as well. If you have patients in the hospital, you really need to know are they COVID-19 or not because that’s going to change your approach, it’s gonna change your PPE—personal protective equipment—usage rate and help you to conserve it. The sooner you can delineate if a patient in a hospital is sick with COVID-19 or not, the quicker you can make those changes and start saving PPE, and it also takes a burden off of your healthcare workers.” O’Dell said the hospital received testing kits from the state on April 6 and started working with them on April 7. “Today we started to roll those out as a soft opening at the hospital doing some expanded testing,” O’Dell said.
Photo courtesy of For Calloway Facebook Journey Church Pastor Matt Johnson interveiws Dr. Nicholas O’Dell live on the For Calloway Facebook page on April 7.
Eye said the number of testing kits the hospital receives will fluctuate depending on the number of positive cases in Murray and the entire state of Kentucky. “For the first couple of deliveries, and we don’t know if that’s going to be everyday or every other day, they’re going to push us 50 tests,” Eye said. “From that point forward what UPS and the state is going to do is they’re going to start to load the level of testing based on the testing that is happening and the number of positives that they’re seeing. They’ll be able to flex that number up and down based on what we’re seeing across the state.” While the hospital is receiving more resources to test more patients, testing will still be limited. “We wish we could test everybody, surveillance blanket testing and do like what they’ve done in Germany and some other countries,” Eye said. “But right now it’s just depending on the capacity and what is the most beneficial for the community as a whole.” Testing is available for patients experiencing the following COVID-19 symptoms: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, congestion, runny nose and/or headache. If people are not experiencing the symptoms previously listed, the hospital is asking them to stay healthy at home. “If you have any of these symptoms and you’re concerned that it could be coronavirus, then you should probably contact your health care provider,” O’Dell said. “You don’t
necessarily have to have every single one of these… one thing we know about this virus as well as every other virus out there is there can be different presentations, some people come in with a classic cough, shortness of breath and fever, other patients come in with a not-so-classic of an appearance.” Testing will still be limited to those who are showing symptoms and those in a tier one or tier two criteria. The criteria include health care workers, those who are 60 or older, those living or working in congregate care settings, those with underlying conditions, those living with a high risk population and those who have received recommendation from a professional to receive testing. O’Dell and the hospital are recommending people take the following steps if they feel as if they have COVID-19. First, call a health care provider. The Respiratory Illness Clinic of the Murray-Calloway County Hospital can be reached at (270) 753-0704. The next step would be to schedule a telemedicine visit, clinic visit or ER visit depending on the severity of the symptoms. Following these steps, O’Dell recommends drive-through testing after telemedicine if necessary. People can utilize drive-through testing by appointment only. They first have to be screened for a process and qualify for drive-through testing through a telemedicine visit.
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Humane society and animal shelter focus on the safety of animals Emily Shepherd Contributing Writer eshepherd2@murraystate.edu
Cadence Utterback/TheNews
Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the Humane Society of Calloway County and the Murray-Calloway County Animal Shelter are stepping up to help animals in the community and encouraging people to make an addition to their family. “We want to free up foster homes as quickly as possible so they are available for other pets as they may arrive,” said Kathy Hodge, executive director of the Humane Society of Calloway County. “For many people, this is a good time to add a pet to their household while they are home to get them settled in.”
The humane society has started conducting and scheduling adoptions over the phone and through outdoor social distancing. They closed all walk-in traffic on March 17. The animal shelter has also made several changes. The animal shelter and humane society are closed to owner surrenders and are taking in animals only in emergencies. At the moment, the humane society has four adult cats and one dog that are in need of a foster home until this crisis has passed. “We have thousands of people who help by sharing our Facebook alerts at any time but even more who are helping now so that animals are safe and don’t have to be in the animal shelter while we try to get them back in a home,” Hodge said.
Adoptions are by appointment only. You can see the humane society’s and animal shelter’s pets for adoption at ForThePets.org along with the humane society’s adoption application. “We are very grateful to all the people in the community who are helping by holding stray animals at their homes while we put out alerts to get the pets back to their families,” Hodge said. Both the animal shelter and the humane society have been contacted about stray animals, owner surrenders and animals needing veterinary care and food.
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see HUMANE SOCIETY page 2
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News
April 9, 2020
Seniors talk effects of online
Megan Reynolds Opinion Editor mreynolds12@murraystate.edu Murray State’s shift to online instruction has affected all students, regardless of class, but perhaps those most affected on campus are the seniors. Spending four years (give or take) on a campus teaches a student a lot about their learning style. After taking a mix of online and in-person classes, most know where they tend to do best. Now there is no choice; online is the only option. “Online instruction is not for everyone, that’s a fact,” said senior psychology major Courtney Kendall. “I am one of those people that do not do as well in online classes.” Kendall said she does better when online classes were originally structured to be online, but the shift to every class being online-only has not been helpful. “It is a hard transition because it changes your routine and what you get from the course,” she said. Some are enjoying the shift, though. Carly Middleton, senior double major in journalism and organizational communication, is finding the switch to be rather beneficial. “Personally, I enjoy the flexibility of online courses,” Middleton said. “While it requires a great amount of self-discipline, it allows me to structure my days the way I want.” Middleton already worked to give her classes more of an online focus, but she understands that some classes aren’t functional as online courses.
COVID-19 From Page 1 O’Dell described the process of what patients might experience if they do qualify for testing. “They take this long Q-tip, and for lack of a better term, they stick in your nose until it feels like it’s going to come out of the other side of your head,” O’Dell said. “Then, they do a couple of twists to get a good sample, pull it out and put it inside a tube. They label it and do all of the other back-end stuff and then ship it out.” After tests are shipped out, O’Dell said they expect to receive results within 24 to 36 hours depending on shipping and the time the test was taken. Because of the increased testing capabilities, O’Dell said people should expect to see
HUMANE SOCIETY From Page 1 “We’ve been returning animals to their homes before they have to enter the shelter or before animal control has to get there through social media posting,” said Emily Cook, assistant director of the Murray-Calloway County Animal Shelter. “We need to make sure that we, as a community are not losing our pets and not letting them run loose.” Contact the humane society if you can take an animal into your home for the next few weeks. The humane society will provide the supplies and veterinary care needed for the animal. “We have seen an increase in bite reports,” Cook said. “That could be because a lot of people are home; they’re letting their dogs run loose and the animals are biting. This is a nationwide problem right now.”
“I can see where completing lab-based and studio-based courses would be difficult,” she said. “I know our professors are doing their best to maximize students’ learning through creative online resources like Zoom.” Kendall knows all about classes not functioning well online. Being both a psychology major and a cadet in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. at Murray State, she has participated in quite a few classes that work better in person than online. The shift to online isn’t the only thing hitting seniors hard. Going from life on campus to life at home and away from friends is taking its toll. “When us seniors left campus for Spring Break, we thought we would be separated from university life and our friends for only two weeks,” Middleton said. “Goodbyes in themselves are hard, especially when they come two months earlier than anticipated.” Middleton said seniors weren’t even given time to brace for the rapid change taking place in their lives. She said the end to her senior year felt abrupt and unreal until she moved out of her residence hall. Middleton has spent minimal time thinking about lost time, though. “I have peace knowing I made the best of every day I was privileged to be a Murray State undergraduate,” she said. Kendall also experienced a sense of disbelief about the early end of her college career. “I stayed in a sense of denial for a while that things were going to be okay, but I really am upset about it all,” the ROTC cadet said. “I just feel like I’m missing out on my education in a sense, opportunities, as well as an increase in positive cases, but they should not be alarmed. “There are cases of coronavirus that we have not known about because of the mild nature of the symptoms or the person didn’t qualify for testing then,” Odell said. To watch the full interview with Odell, Eye and Johnson, visit For Calloway’s Facebook page.
lifelong memories. It really turns it from a bit- may be the perfect time to go. The best thing tersweet moment to a bitter one. It is just time you can invest in is your own education.” that can never be made up.” What saddens Kendall the most is the potential of a completely canceled commencement ceremony. “I cannot express the feelings it brings to think you don’t get a celebration and recognition with your class and family,” Kendall said. Kendall will be the first one in her family to graduate from college, and said it’s a huge accomplishment for her. Even more, Kendall’s commissioning ceremony for the ROTC program has been canceled. Even though she will still technically commission on time, Kendall wanted to experience that sense of pride during the ceremony with the peers that overcame the same obstacles she did. Despite the feeling of lost time and fear of graduation being canceled, Kendall is pushing through and keeping her spirits up by adapting to new work and class schedules. “I’m doing the best I can,” Kendall said. “I had to try and work a new routine out with my courses being online. My work is essential, and now I am working straight full days because I do not physically have to go to courses in between.” Luckily, both Middleton and Kendall already have solid plans, so entering the job market at a time of instability is not a worry for them, but both understand that others are not so lucky. For those affected by the situation, Middleton has some advice. “I feel for my peers who are searching for jobs or being laid off as a result of economic decline,” Middleton said. “If seniors or alumPhoto courtesy of Courtney Kendall ni have ever considered graduate school, now
A new executive order was signed by Beshear that went into effect on Wednesday, April 8. The first part of the executive order is retail restriction, meaning that only one person per household can go into a store at a time. The only exception comes into play if nobody can take care of a child at home or if the person shopping has to take care of someone with special needs who can’t be left alone.
The Murray Police Department also wants to make sure citizens are staying as safe as possible in these unprecedented times. Officers have responded to multiple reports of items stolen from vehicles and said citizens must make sure vehicles are locked to prevent future thefts. “Often when this occurs the only vehicles that have items stolen from them are vehicles that have been left unlocked,” according to the press release. “While officers are patrolling residential areas to detect and deter these types of thefts, the most effective way to stop these thefts is by double checking to make sure your vehicle’s doors are locked.” Murray PD also said people should be wary of scammers leading up to the release of a stimulus package. “If you have any questions about the stimulus package or how you are going to receive the money, you should contact the Internal Revenue
Service directly,” according to the press release. “One very common tactic used by scammers is to attempt to pressure you into making a quick decision by threatening legal action against you if you do not provide them with certain personal information. If you have concerns and feel as though you may be getting scammed, contact your local law enforcement.” Murray PD also issued a thank you to those who have done their part in trying to stop the spread of the virus amid the pandemic. “Lastly, we would like to thank everyone for the efforts you have taken to prevent the spread of this virus,” according to the press release. “We know this is a very challenging time for many people, but we have seen our community come together during this time. While on patrol, we have noticed everyone being diligent to practice social distancing and doing what it takes to keep each other healthy. Thank you all for your continued efforts, and we will get through this together.”
Hodge said the humane society was fortunate to have had numerous adoptions and rescue placements before the start of the quarantine. The humane society placed dozens of puppies in foster homes in the days before they had to change their way of operating. “We are here to help the animals in our community in whatever way we can during this crisis,” Hodge said. “People can reach out to us by Facebook messages, email or calls if you have found a stray, need emergency pet food or have any questions and we will do our best to help.” Hodge said one of the concerns she has for animals during quarantine is the effects it may have on their mental health. “One thing to remember while you spend so much more time home with your pets is to deliberately spend some time apart from your pet each day, napping in another room for example,” Hodge said. “If your pet gets used to you being with them constantly for weeks, he may show separation anxiety when your
schedule goes back to normal, so even if you can be with your pet all the time now, practice giving him some time by himself every day.” Hodge said the humane society would be grateful for monetary donations to put toward expenses. Donations can be mailed to the humane society at P.O. Box 764, Murray, KY 42071 or made online at ForThePets.org. Volunteers from the humane society will be answering phone calls at (270) 759-1884 during regular business hours. The humane society is still running scheduled pick-ups for those who need pet food from their pet food bank and for foster families who need supplies. Those with concerns of missing or found pets can also contact the humane society or animal shelter. To contact the humane society, email humanesociety@murray-ky.net or message the Humane Society of Calloway County Facebook page. To contact the animal shelter, call (270) 759-4141 or message the Murray-Calloway County Animal Shelter Facebook page.
Photo courtesy of Humane Society of Calloway County The Humane Society of Calloway County is trying to help people find their missing dogs.
Beshear’s executive orders
Murray Police warns of scams
Opinion
April 9, 2020
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COVID-19 affects the environment too The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board. The coronavirus is a pandemic, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that the focus of its effects is on people. Where else should the focus be? Perhaps where it seemingly never has been but should have been even before the virus hit: the environment. Since the virus took hold of society, there has been a mass influx of necessity for personal protective equipment. The medical field uses this on a daily basis to protect from potential chemical spills, prevent spread of bacteria and germs and minimize infection. Hospitals have always needed personal protective equipment, and the public has always had access to some less medically intense personal protective equipment to protect themselves (especially those who may be immunocompromised). Because of COVID-19, the amount of personal protective equipment used has skyrocketed. There’s even a shortage of it, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released an article on how to optimize personal protective equipment supply. With the uptake in use of personal protective equipment also comes an uptake in personal protective equipment-related litter. Gloves and masks seemingly cover the grounds around hospitals, clinics, grocery stores and other businesses labeled essential. News organizations have been reporting stories of good samaritans picking up gloves, masks, wasting their own gloves and masks to go out and do so. Some have argued that the coronavirus has been more helpful for the environment than it has been harmful, using examples
like the disappearance of smog in cities like London and Paris or the return of species to places in India and the canals in Italy. The decrease in pollution in London and Paris is most definitely something we should attribute to the coronavirus, but as for the dolphins and swans in canals in Venice, things are more bleak. The swans people were so excited to see never actually left the canals, often making appearances in the waters of Italy. The dolphins supposedly seen in Venice were actually filmed at a port in Sardinia, miles and miles away in the Mediterranean Sea. What is true about the Italian canals is that their water has cleared up quite a bit since the quarantine began. This is because tourism and business travel has ceased and so boats that once went through the canal every minute now haven’t been in the canal for weeks. The mayor of Venice isn’t too quick to believe this is because the water’s quality is increasing as pollution drops. “The water now looks clearer because there is less traffic on the canals, allowing the sediment to stay at the bottom,” a spokesman for the mayor told CNN. “It’s because there is less [of the] boat traffic that usually brings sediment to the top of the water’s surface.” Another debunking of a hopeful theory, but there is hope nonetheless. COVID-19 has also led to an inhibition regarding recycling. As the quarantine progresses, more and more public service companies have had to alter their recycling pick-up routines and processes. Pick-up services in China have stopped taking certain recyclables, and the United Kingdom’s
Cadence Utterback/TheNews
Environmental Agency has made major alterations to the way they take up goods. Now, residents are asked to double-bag their recyclables and wait at least 72 hours before they put those bags out for pick-up. These changes are only two of the many changes the Environmental Agency made. It’s interesting to think about the way businesses may alter their packaging following this virus. Will their methods become more sustainable? And how is consumerism going to be affected? With stores limiting
the amount of people allowed in and the amount of items permitted to buy, will we see a decrease in the amount of goods bought as consumers realize they don’t need as many groceries as they think? These are both things that could impact our environment in the long run. Regardless, COVID-19 is affecting our environment in ways that we could not have imagined pre-virus. Whether society notices in the ways it should is yet to be determined.
Gage Johnson Danilla Tebib Cady Stribling Josh Embry Megan Reynolds Editor-in-Chief News Editor Features Editor Sports Editor Opinion Editor gjohnson17@murraystate.edu dtebib@murraystate.edu cstribling1@murraystate.edu jembry3@murraystate.edu mreynolds12@murraystate.edu
Editorial Board
Bryce Anglin Jenna Carnes Production Manager Chief Copy Editor zanglin@murraystate.edu jcarnes2@murraystate.edu Kalea Anderson Elizabeth Erwin Chief Videographer Public Relations Manager kanderson29@murraystate.edu eerwin1@murraystate.edu
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Sports
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April 9, 2020
Schläpfer seeks spot in Tokyo Olympics Josh Embry Sports Editor jembry3@murraystate.edu Murray State rifle alumna Barbara Schläpfer is vying for a spot to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Schläpfer, a native of Gais, Switzerland, graduated from Murray State in 2019 and is now working toward a master’s degree in biomedical engineering with a focus on biomechanical systems. Along with her studies, Schläpfer has continued to sharpen her rifling skills since returning home. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has had to train in a different way. “Unfortunately, we are not allowed to train on any range, so I have to train at home, which is called dry firing, so you are not loading any ammunition but you simulate aiming [at a] target,” Schläpfer said. As of right now, Schläpfer has yet to earn a quota place to compete in the Olympics. Fortunately for Schläpfer, the postponement of the Olympics offers more chances for her to earn a spot to represent Switzerland in 2021. “My country has one quota place at the moment in my category, so if I would like to go to the Olympics, I need to win my own quota,” Schläpfer said. “Next year, there are still some competitions to win one so I think the next step would be qualifying for those competitions, and then going from there.” However, there are uncertainties regarding the competitions Schläpfer can
Murray State alumna Barbara Schläpfer had one of the most successful rifle careers in the program’s history.
compete in since they have been canceled to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Schläpfer said she has not been made aware of whether these events will be rescheduled or not. Schläpfer sees both positives and negatives in postponing the Olympics for those who have been training and preparing for the last four years. “It is obviously very difficult for those athletes who are working for [their] specific event for four years and have to readjust their time plans,” Schläpfer said. “On the other hand, it is a chance for many athletes
who are maybe not quite in shape yet due to many different reasons.” Ultimately, Schläpfer said she thinks the postponement of the Olympics to 2021 is best for everyone involved in the games. “I think it is the right decision to make sure that athletes from all over the world can compete without some of them missing out on this important event due to possible traveling bans,” Schläpfer said. “I think this ensures equality for all countries and athletes.” Schläpfer’s time as a Racer led to her having one of the best athletic careers in
Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics
Murray State history. In her senior season, Schläpfer set multiple school records, including the top scores in air rifle (599), aggregate score (1189) and air rifle average score (594.3). Additionally, she led the nation in both regular season smallbore and air rifle average scores. Schläpfer was named the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association Rifle Athlete of the Year as well as being named the OVC’s Air Rifle & Smallbore Athlete of the Year. Schläpfer will look to improve on her phenomenal Racer career to represent Switzerland on the global stage.
Holly named semifinalist for sports scholar award Josh Embry Sports Editor jembry3@murraystate.edu Redshir t junior infielder Jordan Holly has been named a semifinalist for the Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year award. Holly was one of 10 male semifinalists selected out of 1,000 student-athletes who were nominated. The award is given to one male and one female of color who has at least a 3.5 GPA, at least sophomore academic standing and serves their respective community. Before all OVC sports were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Holly played in 12 games and started 10 of them. Holly increased his batting average this season, hitting .353, which was fifth best on the team, compared to .253 last season. With 34 at-bats, Holly had 12 hits which resulted in four doubles, six runs scored and 10 RBIs for the Johnson City, Tennessee, native. Before attending Murray State, Holly was a three-time All-Conference Selection at his high school. As a college freshman, Holly attended Walters State Community College and helped the Senators reach the NJCAA World Series. He also was named to the NJCAA All-Academic First Team. Holly is the first Racer to be named a semifinalist for the award and has the opportunity to be only the 11th recipient named as the Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year. Redshirt junior infielder Jordan Holly awaits a throw to tag out a runner.
Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics
Features Alumna experiences new culture with Fulbright program
April 9, 2020
Cady Stribling Features Editor cstribling1@murraystate.edu The Fulbright Student program is a scholarship opportunity awarded to graduates who choose to either be an assistant to an English teacher, study master’s level work or research under a professor. Carole Inman, student development counselor and Fulbright campus coordinator, said recipients are considered ambassadors. “The word ‘ambassador’ is not being used to mean in an official role, but rather you are representing the U.S. in another country to all those you encounter while serving as either an assistant to an English teacher or while researching or studying,” Inman said. The Fulbright program allows one to live and work for an extended period of time in another country and be fully immersed in their culture. “You are giving back to others,” Inman said. “You are experiencing the world outside of anything you have ever experienced and, as a result, broadening your view of the world.” Grace Anderson, secondary English education major, found out that she was awarded the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant position. Anderson graduated in May 2019 and didn’t have much time before packing her bags to move to Europe by September. Fulbright applicants must apply to only one country out of 140. Anderson made her decision based on education. “I chose Estonia because they have the best education system in Europe, and I
wanted to learn more about why it’s so great,” Anderson said. Anderson, a seasoned traveler, went into the program with travel and teaching experience. She had studied abroad twice in the Czech Republic and Greece, and she taught once in Belize. The Fulbright program was meant to last until June, but unfortunately, her experience abroad was cut short because of the coronavirus outbreak. “I was there for about six and a half months before I had to come home,” Anderson said. “It was sad and stressful to have to leave everything in such a rush.” But Anderson still had plenty of time to settle, learn about Estonian culture and make plenty of great memories before coming home. Although there are some Fulbright recipients who can take classes to complete the program, Anderson did not. She wishes she could’ve taken a few, but she loved spending her time teaching English as a foreign language. Every morning, Anderson woke up and had a cup of tea. She said tea is a major part of Estonian culture, and it filled her day. Anderson commuted by bus to schools she worked at where she taught 3rd through 9th grades. “In between classes, I spent time with the teachers in the teacher break room drinking more tea and chatting in English, Estonian and Russian,” Anderson said. When school let out, Anderson and her wife went to a local grocery store to prepare for that night’s dinner. Although experiencing Estonian culture in daily routines, Anderson’s favorite memories took place during the holiday season.
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Photo courtesy of Grace Anderson’s Facebook page Alumna Grace Anderson traveled to Europe under the Fulbright Student Program.
Anderson said Europe, especially Estonia, is very unique during Christmas time. “Estonia was voted to have the best Christmas market in Europe last year, and it was truly amazing,” Anderson said. “In the snow it was especially beautiful, and there was nothing better than getting hot sausages and sauerkraut with a cup of Glogg to keep us warm.” As beautiful as Christmas was, Anderson said her favorite memory took place during Thanksgiving when all the Fulbrighters in Estonia got together. Everyone tried their best to make their favorite dishes from home despite not having many of the ingredients available.
“Everyone crowded into one small apartment and sat on the floor eating, laughing and having a great time,” Anderson said. “I love all the friends that I made while abroad and I miss them a great deal.” Anderson’s life went from teaching in a beautiful country to an abrupt end. Anderson said she’s happy to be back but has had a little trouble adjusting. “It’s hard to get back to life as normal while the pandemic is making life very abnormal for everyone.” “It’s hard to get back to life as normal while the pandemic is making life very abnormal for everyone.”
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Features
April 9, 2020
Students spend quarantine time with pets of all sizes Cady Stribling Features Editor cstribling1@murraystate.edu Even if not affected directly, the COVID-19 pandemic can be highly stressful for students, faculty and community members and take a toll on their mental health. It’s important for everyone to make sure they are taking care of themselves both physically and mentally. Esther Malm, assistant professor of psychology, said drastic changes to daily routines can cause panic, feelings of hopelessness and loss of control. “Students may find it difficult to sleep, be distracted and have their minds racing due to the continuous uncertainty, loss and regular breaking news about the pandemic from the media,” Malm said. Although students may be glad to be home, Malm said campus can be a peaceful and positive environment, so going home unexpectedly can trigger anxiety, depression or other similar experiences. The News reached out to the Counseling Center to get some helpful advice for those who might be struggling during this time. A representative from the center provided tips to follow to help maintain positive thoughts and mental health by keeping up with self-care. “In general, self-care is probably the most important thing to remember at this time,” the representative said. “Try to get enough sleep, eat healthy foods at regular intervals, exercise daily, practice good hygiene, try to maintain some social connection and find a good balance of work and play.” The representative also recommends going outside and getting exercise while obeying social distancing guidelines. Malm advises students to use support systems. “Identify your support systems while at home–family members, friends, etc.,” Malm
said. “Let them know the struggles and seek support. There is no shame in seeking professional support so do not hesitate to request for it.” Like the Counseling Center, which is conducting online sessions, most counseling services are moving online. Malm said mental health is your first priority. “Is watching the news stressing you?” Malm said. “If yes, turn it off. Truth is, you cannot control what is happening out there but you can control what you see, hear and react to.” Rewatching and replaying the news to catch up later is always an option, Malm said. The Counseling Center representative said sparking creativity can also be a valuable way to spend time like painting, building with Legos or starting a gratitude journal. Sticking with a schedule is also important to establish good mental health. “Maintaining a schedule and routine can be really helpful not only for your mental health but also for your academics,” the representative said. “Try to get up at the same time every day, have something to eat, take a shower and get dressed, and then you will feel more awake and ready to be productive.” Schedules that were kept at school might not work at home, so the representative said if you don’t want to stick with your regular schedule, develop a new one. Malm recommends rewarding yourself after completing tasks and connecting to friends and family. “This pandemic will end,” Malm said. “We may not know when yet. For now, we must follow federal and state instructions for our care and safety. We will pull through together one day at a time. Be encouraged.” Anyone in need of counseling services can email msu.counselingcenter@murraystate.edu or visit the Counseling Center website, www. murraystate.edu/counselingcenter, for additional tips under the “Self-Help Resources” section, whether pandemic-related or not.
Photo courtesy of Brooke Croel Croel found themes for the photoshoots online.
Photo courtesy of Grace Fugate Fugate has spent her time riding horses.
Counseling Center provides tips on mental health Grant Dillard Contributing Writer gdillard@murraystate.edu Even if not affected directly, the COVID-19 pandemic can be highly stressful for students, faculty and community members and take a toll on their mental health. It’s important for everyone to make sure they are taking care of themselves both physically and mentally. Esther Malm, assistant professor of psychology, said drastic changes to daily routines can cause panic, feelings of hopelessness and loss of control. “Students may find it difficult to sleep, be distracted and have their minds racing due to the continuous uncertainty, loss and regular breaking news about the pandemic from the media,” Malm said. Although students may be glad to be home, Malm said campus can be a peaceful and positive environment, so going home unexpectedly can trigger anxiety, depression or other similar experiences. The News reached out to the Counseling Center to get some helpful advice for those who might be struggling during this time. A representative from the center provided tips to follow to help maintain positive thoughts and mental health by keeping up with self-care. “In general, self-care is probably the most important thing to remember at this time,” the representative said. “Try to get enough sleep, eat healthy foods at regular intervals, exercise
daily, practice good hygiene, try to maintain some social connection and find a good balance of work and play.” The representative also recommends going outside and getting exercise while obeying social distancing guidelines. Malm advises students to use support systems. “Identify your support systems while at home–family members, friends, etc.,” Malm said. “Let them know the struggles and seek support. There is no shame in seeking professional support so do not hesitate to request for it.” Like the Counseling Center, which is conducting online sessions, most counseling services are moving online. Malm said mental health is your first priority. “Is watching the news stressing you?” Malm said. “If yes, turn it off. Truth is, you cannot control what is happening out there but you can control what you see, hear and react to.” Rewatching and replaying the news to catch up later is always an option, Malm said. The Counseling Center representative said sparking creativity can also be a valuable way to spend time like painting, building with Legos or starting a gratitude journal. Sticking with a schedule is also important to establish good mental health. “Maintaining a schedule and routine can be really helpful not only for your mental health but also for your academics,” the representative said. “Try to get up at the same time every day, have something to eat, take a shower and
get dressed, and then you will feel more awake and ready to be productive.” Schedules that were kept at school might not work at home, so the representative said if you don’t want to stick with your regular schedule, develop a new one. Malm recommends rewarding yourself after completing tasks and connecting to friends and family. “This pandemic will end,” Malm said. “We may not know when yet. For now,
we must follow federal and state instructions for our care and safety. We will pull through together one day at a time. Be encouraged.” Anyone in need of counseling services can email msu.counselingcenter@murraystate.edu or visit the Counseling Center website, www.murraystate.edu/counselingcenter, for additional tips under the “SelfHelp Resources” section, whether pandemic-related or not.
Cadence Utterback/TheNews