When the pandemic first started I never would have thought things would get this bad. I was hoping that by the time the holidays rolled around things would be getting better, but obviously, things have only progressed. As Thanksgiving came and went, the number of COVID cases slowly continued to rise and this trend continued through Christmas and New Year’s. It wasn’t until this time that I realized I would probably be spending my 21st birthday at home with my immediate family.
Even though I know it’s for the best, it’s kind of a bummer to have to spend one of the biggest birthdays at home. I know a lot of people are feeling the same as they have missed other big milestones in their lives. Many people have lost their graduation, birthdays, and other memorable events that are usually spent with big groups of people. Since it seems like COVID is going to be around for a while more, I think it is important to recognize that there are still ways to celebrate while also staying safe. Although many of us (myself included) want to go out and celebrate these accomplishments, it is important to remain at home and socially distant. So many people have lost so much and it is important to think of those people before going out.
Although the pandemic has closed a lot of places and many restaurants remain closed, I found a few ways that I could still enjoy my birthday while still being safe. The first thing that I did was order party decorations. Even though the “party” will just be me and my immediate family, I still wanted to have the memories and pictures from the event. I was able to order everything online through small businesses off of Etsy. I was happy that I could do this because during these times it’s important to support small businesses. I also liked doing this rather than going to a place like Party City because I could stay home and have it shipped directly to my house. The next thing I did was order the cake. Since I work at a bakery this was really easy and I know that I can be safe while picking it up from people I know. Finally, after talking to my parents I decided to make dinner at home. My mom is going to make all of my favorite foods and we can enjoy them as a family.
Even though this isn’t what I imagined for my 21st birthday, I am thankful to be able to celebrate it with my family. So many people have lost so much during this pandemic and it is important to remain safe and careful. So if you’re in the same boat as me and are celebrating big milestones, I hope you do so safely. You can still celebrate your graduation or birthday, just do so cautiously and follow social distancing guidelines. Hopefully, with this new vaccine and the continuation of following CDC guidelines, we can all celebrate our next milestones with our friends and family!