Throughout the pandemic, and especially now that it has gotten colder, it has been increasingly harder to get together with friends. So much of being a teenager is about making new relationships with others and having fun with friends. The challenge of seeing people during a pandemic that is spread primarily through close contact with others is a barrier many students have had to overcome these past ten months. Although it is hard for many students, they have found creative ways to continue to be social.

Before this pandemic began, students interacted with their friends like any other person would: having sleepovers, watching movies, or even just hanging out inside each other’s houses. When suddenly faced with the reality that it wasn’t safe to see people anymore, they really had to work to figure out how to keep up their social lives. 

“Now we mostly just hang out outside and try to make the best of it, whether that be running, biking, or just using Facetime inside,” says Freshman Cate Herr. Exercise has been a great way for people to continue seeing their friends, while also getting some fresh air.

The options for safely seeing friends have been limited, but some students, like Sophomore Abby Underwood,  have found the simplicity of these activities refreshing.  Underwood goes on a walk with one of her friends almost every day. “I think [walking is] a good alternative. There’s less distractions when you’re on a walk.” 

While sitting outside or exercising together, the only focus is on what the other person is saying. These activities allow students to simply enjoy the company of the person they are with instead of also being distracted by something else, like watching a movie or playing a game. This type of interaction might actually be making bonds stronger.

People have also been finding new ways to see their friends that they normally wouldn’t have tried. Nobody would have thought to sit around a campfire in 30-degree weather, but if it means they get to see their friends, people are willing to endure the cold. For people who don’t FaceTime as much, calling each has also become a new way to stay connected. 

So much of communication is about interacting with one another and reading each other’s expressions. But with social distancing and mask-wearing, this has become difficult, and whether or not students realized the importance of this before, it is definitely apparent now. 

Senior Sarah Fieman says she believes that it is difficult to not be able to see people’s faces during a conversation. “People are so expressive, and when you love to talk, you tend to love the way different people speak. It feels strange not to see anybody’s smiles anymore. I miss that,” said Fieman. 

Students also have had trouble communicating and finding a middle ground with their family over what they are allowed to do with friends. During the beginning of the pandemic, Feiman says she had lots of disagreements with her family about the precautions she needed to take when around others. 

“I always wore a mask, so I think I underestimated social distance. My family, however, tried to reiterate the fact that both are necessary for guaranteeing safety,” said Feiman.

Different families all have different rules and practices when it comes to protecting themselves. When making plans with friends, students have found it difficult to navigate between what each friend is allowed to do and what they feel comfortable with. 

“It was really hard at the beginning, because two of my friends were able to go into each other’s houses and I was kind of  left out for a while, which was really difficult,” says Underwood. 

It takes a lot of work to figure out how to respect family rules while also maintaining the friendship. 

But this is a barrier that can be overcome. Some students expressed that by showing just a little bit of respect and kindness to one another, it’s possible to develop a solution that works for everyone and makes seeing each other a positive experience for all.

 “I know that they’re going to respect my boundaries and my parent’s boundaries, and I’m going to respect theirs,” Underwood says. 

This pandemic has completely changed the way we have interacted with others. But despite the hardships presented every day, students are all finding their own different ways of staying connected with those they enjoy spending time with and continuing to have fun with their friends.