The coronavirus is a pandemic, not an excuse for self-pity

This is a graphic design of the word “opinion” in a speech bubble. The background is purple and there are various shapes surrounding the speech bubble.

It’s official. The coronavirus has burst the USC bubble. Apparently, privilege doesn’t entail virus immunity. Yet scrolling through the countless social media posts mourning students’ easy access to parties, drugs, booze and Coachella, privilege remains a prevalent trait among the student body. It’s downright ridiculous. The pity party had its time and place, but now it’s time to move on.

Yes, everyone was essentially evacuated from campus, leaving belongings, friends and the possibilities of forming new relationships behind. Yes, international students were basically forced to choose between their home countries, their families, and staying in the United States at the cost of being barred from returning. Yes, all classes are going to be online through the semester like a bizarro pro-version of Khan Academy. And yes, the class of 2020 will be receiving their degrees online until the in-person commencement is rescheduled. 

It’s safe to say that no one is happy with how things have turned out. However, the situation unfolding at USC is not unique; the wash-rinse-repeat technique has been adopted at schools and universities across the country. The rest of the academic year didn’t turn out how anyone would have hoped, and complaining about it won’t change anything — it may make it worse. 

Self-pity is an addictive drug — self-victimization even more so. Both pet our egos, feeding into the mindset that the individual is powerless, that everything is out to get us. Many don’t seem to see the bigger picture, as they are lost in aggrandizing the virus as if it had specific intent: targets to take out, karma to enact. The coronavirus has taken from all, not just USC. While all students lost a semester, some people have lost much more: jobs, housing, loved ones. And if you’ve tried grocery shopping recently, you’d know some people seem to have even lost their minds. 

In the United States alone, 18% of workers have reported having their hours docked or lost their jobs completely since the beginning of the outbreak in January. A total of 3 million jobs are estimated to be lost by this summer. The U.S. death toll has exceeded 500 with over 42,000 cases spanning the entire country, and keep in mind that there are many more predicted to be infected who have not, or cannot, seek treatment because of absurd out-of-pocket costs, possible deportation or the fact that there aren’t enough resources available. 

Despite how hopeless this situation may seem, there is much that we can do, even while stuck in the house. Already, people have mobilized on social media for the purpose of providing those in need with food and supplies. The Local USC Moms and Dads On Call Facebook group is working to connect its over 3,000 members with students — in the U.S. and abroad — to provide support during this difficult time. Within the USC student body, Veronica Marks — a junior majoring in screenwriting — has organized a food pantry from evacuated students’ donations. When shopping, take only what’s needed. Resist feeding into the paranoia by buying out the entire supply of this-or-that. Remember, those out in the world with you — even the people fighting old ladies over toilet paper — are human beings too. Treat them as such.

So don’t curse the sky, or cry over lost chances. We must walk the line between hyper-individualization and overgeneralization. That is, don’t try to equivocate everyone’s struggle, though it may stem from a common source. Your pain is not my pain, is not his pain, is not their pain. But don’t minimize what others are experiencing either — this is no time for the “mine-is-bigger-than-yours” game. 

Let us put the power of the so-called “Trojan Family” to the test.