Trend Feature Story: Birthdays in the Times of COVID
WRITING SAMPLE FROM A COLLEGE WRITING ASSIGNMENT
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WRITING SAMPLE FROM A COLLEGE WRITING ASSIGNMENT 〰️
NOTE: This post is a writing sample. The assignment was to write a trend feature story on a topic of our choice. I chose to write about the new normal regarding birthday celebrations in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic especially for a debutante in the year of 2020.
Alyssa Reyes always looked forward to turning 18.
She had so much anticipation because the 18th birthday is huge in Pilipino culture.
Plans suddenly changed, however, since her 18th birthday was in December 2020 with surges of COVID-19 cases rising throughout the United States.
With gatherings strongly discouraged, it looked like it was unlikely that she was going to have the 18th birthday she had always dreamed of.
“I wasn’t really discouraged to the point where I’d cry about it because there’s nothing I could do about it you know,” Reyes said, “We were in pandemic circumstances and there’s only so much I could do to celebrate my birthday.”
Originally, Reyes thought she was just going to take pictures in a dress so her mom could post it on Facebook, but she was surprised after getting ready to see that some of her extended family and one of her friends were able to come into her backyard and have a small celebration while also honoring the traditional 18 roses and 18 candles that are a part of the tradition of a Pilipino debutante.
“I got surprised by my family! They had cute candles and they gave me roses and they Facebook lived it, of course!” Reyes describes the event, “And then my friend, Carla, came over to take pictures and we ate and celebrated like normal but with less people.”
Reyes (middle) on the day of her surprise modified birthday celebration with her cousins (right) and uncle and aunt (left).
For many people, the pandemic has changed how they celebrated birthdays for this year, but what many do not consider is how the pandemic is going to change birthdays for years to come.
The new normal of birthdays and birthday parties are a growing topic and it should be as the pandemic seems to be making people more aware of personal hygiene.
Many customary birthday party gestures and traditions will likely become taboo.
Birthday parties are always a huge celebration for most people. For many, it is the highlight of their year when they get to gather with their friends and family and celebrate themselves and completing another rotation around the sun. But the birthday parties we all know and love attending and hosting are likely to go through some big changes as we get closer to the pandemic ending.
In the midst of the pandemic, it was hard to celebrate birthdays since gatherings of any kind were strongly prohibited. Many would turn to drive by gift drop offs as a form of a celebration of one's birthday.
When the restrictions were eased and it was okay for small gatherings, birthday parties could still not be the exact same. There had to be physical distancing in place, and not many people have a big enough space in their homes to accommodate for physical distancing.
Businesses were also not 100% open and those that were open could not be open at full capacity. The restrictions were still so hard on different businesses and it was hard to cope. There is likely to be a stigma around birthday parties and large groups.
We want so desperately to be back to normal and be in groups again, but we also want to keep ourselves and our peers safe, so it is such a hard decision to make when it comes to having a birthday celebration in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, at many birthday parties it is normal to have a buffet style food area for dining, but in the future this will likely become outdated and no longer used. As it is not the most sanitary option out there.
Instead, some may choose to do pre-plated meals and distribute them in boxes to avoid contamination from a buffet style.
The biggest change that will happen is the blowing of the candles for a celebrant’s birthday. Having a birthday celebrant blow (and possibly spit a little bit) on a cake that is to be shared by the entire party is not the most sanitary celebration.
To combat this, many have turned to getting individual cakes or cupcakes for the party and giving the celebrant a candle to blow out on their own cake. Another method is still having that large cake for everyone, but instead of having the celebrant blow out the candle the celebrant will fan the candle with a paper plate or a handheld fan.
As the pandemic is still very much upon us, but vaccinations are rolling out and restrictions are easing, it is time for some people to make plans for their birthdays and hope to accommodate for COVID safety.
Decisions have to be made about the guestlist. Who is fully vaccinated and who is not? Those who are not fully vaccinated may not be permitted. For those that are vaccinated fully, there must be a temperature check upon arrival. There are so many decisions now that go into planning a simple birthday party.
Today, the pandemic still has a huge influence on how we go about gatherings and our birthdays. AJ Tinio, a college student, is about to celebrate his 21st birthday.
“I want to go to a beach and enjoy the presence of my friends while being outside and less confined.” he states.
Everyone just wants to have a good time for their birthday after the tough year that we all have had.
When asked what he is expecting of his birthday Tinio said, “I’m expecting to have a great time with alcoholic beverages because it is my 21st birthday, despite there being a pandemic.”
That is all anyone could ask for when celebrating their birthday, friends and fun.
The pandemic continues to take things away from people. Many people expect a big celebration for their birthdays. Sometimes birthdays are the one time a year that one’s friends and family can come together and celebrate.
When Julian Atalit, a now 21 year old college student, was asked about how his birthday celebrations differed from his expectations he said, “I expected my birthday to be a lot bigger with more family, friends, and a lot more alcohol.”
With business also still closed or not allowed to be at full capacity, Atalit added, “I probably would’ve celebrated larger if businesses were open, but it could not happen for obvious reasons.”
The pandemic has even had people really lower their entire expectations for their own birthdays. Caroline Jones, a college student about to turn 21 in June, has lowered and changed her expectations due to the pandemic.
“Not much. I am assuming since it is before June 15th when things lift more, that people won’t be fully comfortable yet,” Jones says when asked about her expectations for her birthday on June 11.
Jones is choosing to form her plan for her birthday around her friends and what they would be comfortable with around that time.
Some people decide to be the absolute safest they can be and choose to not have or host any type of in-person gathering.
Many people will host drive by birthday parades and gift drop offs or just a Zoom or video call to celebrate. Some even just decorate their front yards with big cardboard letters that read “HAPPY BIRTHDAY (Insert First Name Here)” so the whole neighborhood knows that someone is having a birthday.
Even the smallest of celebrations can and will be special for whomever is celebrating a birthday during the time of the pandemic.
The birthday celebrations will not be stopped by the pandemic. People will find a way to celebrate their special day and bring a bit of happiness to this troubling period of time.
If there is anything the pandemic has taught everyone, it is that we are resilient and we deserve to be celebrated.
We should not be taking things for granted, as everyone has likely lost something or someone during this tough time in life. People do not know how many birthdays they get, so it is important to celebrate each one as if it is the last.
It is important to be safe, but it is important to celebrate the day.
Birthdays are such a big occasion for many. It is a celebration of themself for growing and maturing another year. Especially in certain cultures, birthdays can be such a huge deal for many individuals.
It is crazy to think about how much the pandemic is changing the world. The pandemic is not only changing birthdays. Things like shaking each other’s hands, eating out at restaurants, kissing and hugging one another, and going out to the movies are sure to change with the end of the pandemic.
The pandemic has been making things a bit harder for all of us as we navigate this new normal and the new world we are entering. Birthdays and so many other things in life are never going to be the same again. The pandemic is making the world more aware of how sanitary or unsanitary different aspects of life really are.
