For all the Aries and Tauruses out there, celebrating your birthday while going through COVID-19 shutdowns and shelter in place orders can be less than ideal. Recently I too had to get creative and figure out how to celebrate my nineteenth birthday this past March 31! If you’re trying to figure out how to cheer yourself up during this stressful time, some of the things I did might give you a few ideas.
- I Changed the Plans I Had Already Made
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So a few weeks into winter quarter, my friend and I realized that we weren’t going to have school on my birthday because it also happens to be Cesar Chavez’s birthday and started brainstorming. Once we realized that spring break was going to be extended we decided to still do those plans, just a few weeks early. We went to the beach and played board games- it was so much fun! Now, although these things may not be an option for you now, there are still ways to alter the plans you may have already had set for your birthday. For example, if you and your family always do a special dinner maybe you could order takeout from that restaurant and bring the dinner to you!
- Wear Something Special
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I was always that girl who enjoyed getting ready for school formals more than I actually enjoyed the dances. Because I like getting dressed up and feeling fancy, I thought that my birthday was a good enough excuse to pull out all the stops! Now of course, if you aren’t someone who likes wearing a dress, that doesn’t mean you can’t feel special. Put on your favorite pajamas or a shirt that holds sentimental value, anything that will help elevate your mood!
- Practice Some Social Distancing Socializing
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One of the favorite things that I got to do while on my birthday was see a few friends. As much as Facetiming and Zoom parties can be so much fun, I have been really missing my friends from home that I haven’t seen since December. So, with healthy practices in mind, I finally got some real face time with a few close friends! I set up chairs six feet apart in the front yard and invited people over. Getting to see my friends in person really brightened my day. If you are able to and it’s alright with the people you’re living with, maybe consider inviting people over at a safe distance.
- Take Time to Reflect
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It’s very common for people to reflect and set intentions for the year ahead around New Years, and a birthday is a perfect opportunity to do the exact same thing! I like to sit with my journal but you can use any online document, planner, or piece of paper to take some time to reflect. Did you accomplish any goals or experience anything of note? How have you grown as a person? What is something you are grateful you learned in the past year? These past few weeks have been very stressful for us all. Taking time to think about the year you’ve had, both the good times and the bad, as we continue on this uncertain ground can be centering and uplifting. Make sure to take some time on your birthday to relax and focus on yourself. I mean, isn’t that what birthdays are for?
- Take a Break from the News
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With all the stress that the news has brought to my family and I right now, I decided to unplug from current events for the day. Thankfully, with the internet and 24-hour news coverage that we have today, anything that you miss while you’re unplugging will definitely be repeated and touched on again later when you check back in. For me, it was important that I didn’t stress about Covid-19 and all that it has brought for the day. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by current events as of late, maybe use this day as an opportunity to take a break from the stress and decompress. Nothing that pivotal will happen while you’re taking time for yourself and you’ll be better off after the break!
Although the sheltering in place isn’t ideal, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a fun and special day to celebrate another year of your life. Overall I had a lot of fun on my birthday, and I hope that with these suggestions you will too! For all the soon-to-be birthday girls out there, happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day and give some of these suggestions a try!