AACC students said they feel stressed by another COVID variant that is spreading so quickly as school starts back up again.

In interviews with Campus Current, students said they have become more careful and worried about their safety as the Omicron variant has become dominant.

“I’m more paranoid than ever,” Mobolaji Ogunlaja, a first-year computer science student, said. “I just feel I can’t really live my life as I did before. … It’s just overwhelming for my mental health.”

The new variant started spiking COVID rates in November.

Some students said they wear masks everywhere now.

Jenna Baker, a second-year dance student, said masking up and wiping down surfaces makes her feel a bit safer.

“In the classroom … if we use a yoga mat or [are] on the floor, we wipe it down or just keep up with hand sanitizer,” Baker said.

Others said they worry their classmates are not safe to be around.

“I feel there’s still people out there who choose not to wear a mask and be vaccinated,” Messiah Rogers, a first-year psychology student, said. “So I don’t think it’s very safe to go back to school now.”

“I feel, you know, after COVID happened it kind of was a reality snap almost,” Mariah Bethea, a second-year visual arts student, said. “It just made me more motivated and I’ve been really trying to build my portfolio up.”