Navigating celebrations during a pandemic
Being in the middle of a global pandemic has forced us as a population to shift from the norm in many ways. We’ve been adding “mask” to our usual “phone, wallet, keys” check as we’re leaving the house, we’ve become well versed in identifying when people infiltrate our six-foot bubble, and many of us have had to forgo family celebrations and gatherings since last March. As we’re approaching a year of isolation, quarantine, and almost constant fear, one of the biggest challenges on our minds is having to go months without seeing our loved ones.
I think a lot of people will agree when I say that this holiday season has been one of the loneliest ones to date. December, instead of being spent with family surrounding a big dinner table with a delicious meal and lively conversation, was spent with just my immediate family who were all feeling the heaviness of missing people. My brother’s birthday was spent in the same way, just the four of us around a dinner table with a haphazardly shaped cake. We were all trying our best to stay chipper, but it was difficult when we were all hoping he’d be able to have a party with friends to celebrate.
It was more than manageable during the summer, when we could gather outside and safely social distance, but now that we’re all inside for fear of frostbite, our cabin fever is starting to come to the front of our minds. This is especially hard for us as college students, who already go months at a time without seeing family and missing out on celebrations. My dad’s birthday is the 22nd of February, and it’s the first one I’m spending away from family. The added stress of the pandemic just makes the isolation feel worse.
My family (Lauren Trowbridge, ‘24) during the holidays
However, before we all get lost in how hopeless everything feels, we have to keep in mind the things we CAN do to celebrate milestones and holidays with family. A simple phone call can go miles, and FaceTimes are even more special. I personally have taken to writing “birthday limericks”, which bring a lot of joy even if they’re not poetically brilliant.
I also spoke with Tessa Schirmer ‘24 (Nursing) about her particular experiences with celebrations during the pandemic.
“I come from a family of 12 people,” Schirmer explained, “and while a lot of the older siblings are spread out across the Midwest, I’m very close to my six younger siblings. We all tend to gather together whenever I come home from school and on holidays.”
For Schirmer, coming home to just her immediate family was a strange experience.
Tessa Schirmer ‘24 and her family during the holidays
“Our house never feels empty,” she said, “but we definitely felt like we were missing people at the table. I was quarantined with Covid for Thanksgiving, and it was definitely hard not to gather and celebrate together.”
Schirmer’s sister just celebrated her 17th birthday, and when asked to reflect on it, Schirmer’s face lit up.
“We had such a great time even though we were confined to just our immediate family,” she said. “Our grandparents were unable to come down and visit, but to make up for the lack of a party, we organized a drive-by celebration to make sure she felt loved. The amount of people that came and honked their horns made it such a fun day.”
“It’s humbling to spend so much time with your immediate family as a unit,” Schirmer continued when asked for advice to give other Katies who feel like they’re missing out on celebrations. “Try to stay focused on the positives. This time spent away from family and friends will just make you more thankful for the time you do get to spend with them in the future. Try to stay hopeful and look forward as much as possible.”
I think that Schirmer’s advice can strike a chord with all of us, both on and off campus. It can be hard to remain hopeful and cheery during such unpredictable times, but as we’re coming up on the end of some pretty scary circumstances, we have that much more to look forward to. The light at the end of the tunnel is looming closer than ever. Keep your chins up, Katies!
