Pool parties. Presents. Balloons. Cake. And friends. These are the things that high school students look forward to doing while celebrating their birthdays. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the normal way of celebrating, as quarantining and social distancing prevents students from having even a small get together with friends and family. Nonetheless, students have found a way to still have the birthday celebration of a lifetime, at a distance. 

On social media, the world has been finding ways to continue having interactions with friends and family while still practicing social distancing. A recent way to celebrate birthdays has been done all around the world, a birthday parade, and these students are doing no different.

“They all came to my house and parked in front and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ in a safe way,” junior Jace Halbaedier said. “I hadn’t seen my friends since March 16th, so it felt good to see my friends and coaches.”

One student was celebrating her sweet sixteenth, and her quarantined celebration came with a sweet surprise.

“My family and I had been seeing that other people were doing drive by parties, and I haven’t been able to see most of my friends for a long time so we thought it was a good idea,“ sophomore Ainsley Patrick said. “And then I was surprised by my dad with a car! It was the most surprised I have ever been and I really love it.”

The drive by parties have been a hit and a special way to celebrate birthdays. However, students are taking advantage of technology to see friends and family. 

“I usually have a birthday dinner with my friend and family, but this year I couldn’t see much of either, so I did a bunch of zoom calls and phone calls instead,” junior Lindsay Davenport said.  “A bunch of my friends hung posters on my fence since we are under quarantine,” Davenport said. “I get to keep them and have the memories for the rest of my life, even though I didn’t get to see and hang out with them.”