Morbid Email From FIU Raises Eyebrows Among Students

Humberto Mendez Prince/Staff Writer

For the past couple of weeks, FIU has bombarded students with endless emails and updates regarding COVID-19. 

Although many of these seem like protocolary messages, one email in particular raised an eyebrow among many members of the university. What FIU might have seen as a gesture of consideration towards students ended up being an indirect implication that we might all die during this pandemic. 

FreeWill, a company that specializes in making wills and testaments, is partnering up with FIU to offer students the possibility to write their own testaments for future generations. The email in question basically implied that those of us expecting to die of COVID-19 should make a will, and that, if we’re feeling generous, we should make FIU a part of it. But don’t worry, people—at least it’s free of charge!

Starting on a will now doesn’t seem illogical, considering that after graduation we’re most likely going to find ourselves too busy to deal with such things, and frankly it’s not a topic that crosses anyone’s mind at the age of most students. But due to the circumstances we are now facing, writing a testament “just in case” sounds sketchy regardless. Receiving a message like this from your own university feels gruesome to say the least.

Perhaps the timing of the email was what made it unsettling. At one moment a student could be busy with online deadlines, and the next they get an email offering them the chance to write their own testament for free during a worldwide pandemic. 

During these times many students are struggling with financial stability, and the anxiety provided by the constant streaming of news and changing statistics fed to us by the media could potentially affect our mental health for the worse.

The last thing we need is to worry about now is writing a testament. 

For some people, writing a will is synonymous with an announced death. As college students, we shouldn’t be thinking about this on top of the other responsibilities that we have.

Although there are obviously good intentions behind the FreeWill initiative, it comes across as FIU callously assuming that students are inevitably going to pass away during the corona pandemic, so we might as well write a testament—and include them in it.

Even though I would’ve still considered it strange, it would’ve made more sense If this email had been sent to us four or five months ago, considering we weren’t facing a deadly virus during that time.

If our growing list of fears during this pandemic weren’t enough, we might now have to add “receiving COVID-19 updates by FIU.” You never know if the next offer they send is a free casket service for its students in case we die.

Featured image by Jernej Furman on Flickr.

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

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