Campus and community react to Dalhousie street party

HALIFAX -

Monday morning, graduate student Jessica McCann received an email from Dalhousie University, directed at students who participated in the outdoor party over the weekend.

"If you attended the party, you were advised to not come to class this week," said McCann. "But it's not mandatory."

The university wants students who attended the street party to get a COVID-19 test and to stay away from classes while they await the results.

McCann is conflicted. She sees the overall situation two ways.

"On the one hand, I think it was irresponsible given the current situation," said McCann.

However, McCann understands why some behaved in such a manner.

"A lot of these younger students obviously missed out on a lot of things over the last couple years," said McCann.

Psychologist Dayna Lee-Baggley said, for starters, young people living with COVID-19 restrictions for the past 18 months likely added to the situation and helps explain this behaviour.

“Self-control is like a battery. We have to recharge the battery," said Lee-Baggley. "At this point of the pandemic, there are no frontal lobes anywhere. We are all exhausted.”

Lee-Baggley mentioned a quote she once heard from another university administrator.

“If we could get the university students to always follow the rules, we would’ve all done that a long time ago," said Lee-Baggley.

Lee-Baggley also said, that is a difficult task at the best of times and likely harder during a pandemic.