With the one year anniversary of COVID-19 lockdowns, it’s time to reflect on the long journey we’ve all been through. A year of unprecedented and time with family and adapted holidays, West Bloomfield students have seen it all. So, we take a peek into the lives of students in 2020. When quarantine had just begun on March 13th, Junior Dina Jafar said,

“I liked the first day of quarantine because it felt like an extended spring break instead of a pandemic,” continuing, “I felt super refreshed that day, because I didn’t have to do my homework and I could just relax.”

Only expecting our school’s pause to be short and temporary, little did we know that we’d be changing birthday, holiday, and family get-together plans to be COVID safe. Easter family get-togethers turned into outside, social distanced gatherings and families alongside neighbor’s quarantined together. Sophomore, Abby Coppens searched for ways to make the isolation of quarantine a bit more bearable.

“My neighbors and I all quarantined together cause we are all very close,” Abby mentions, “We spent a lot of time outside. It made quarantine much easier.”

With ‘zoom’ school making its grand entrance in September and colder weather following, WB students found fun ways to adapt their lives while staying indoors. Some families held regular board game and movie nights, while others took COVID-19 precautions in order to safely meet with small groups of people. Jackie Scott took advantage of the quarantine winter season.

“On Christmas my sister came over and we just hung out and ate dinner.  We binged our favorite show and ate popcorn.”  

Throughout the ups and downs of the past year all West Bloomfield students have found their own ways to persevere. The creative ways that students have come up with to stay connected to those they care about from a distance will have created memories for years to come. To hear more stories of WB students’ most memorable times of the year, read the full edition of Spectrum at the end of the month.