From family fun and turkey bowls to masking up and social distancing, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the way in which Americans will be spending this upcoming Thanksgiving. The increase of coronavirus cases in the United States has caused numerous festivity cancellations, which will unfortunately continue throughout the holiday season.
Cases within the University of Wisconsin-Madison have grown since Halloween, causing mandatory testing for both Witte and Sellery Residence Halls, both of which were already on a two-week quarantine in September.
Because most students will not be returning to campus after Thanksgiving, the spread of this virus within the university will hopefully diminish upon the return to school in January.
Students have expressed their discontent with the direct impact this pandemic has had on their studies and overall livelihood at UW-Madison by posting TikToks and memes to bond over these similar depravities.
The Witte and Sellery quarantine of 2020 seemed somewhat like the end of the world, with kids running in and out before the 10 p.m. shutdown. However, friendships were formed throughout these resident’s halls by students putting Post-it Notes on the windows and attending virtual dorm events.
With Thanksgiving approaching, although this semester was very different, we all still have something to be thankful for. Whether you are glad you met new people this semester, or have remained healthy within this crazy pandemic, you can always be gracious. This holiday will certainly not encompass the typical large family gatherings or pumpkin patch traditions, but it is important to stay positive in these tough times.
When asked how her Thanksgiving has been impacted by COVID-19, freshman Claire Hanley claimed her family would be spending the holiday with a closer circle instead of the usual extended family. Claire was also upset to say her family’s annual turkey bowl was cancelled, but she understood the need to maintain social distancing and ultimately stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Similarly, freshman Ryan Planek’s family will be altering Thanksgiving in order to have a safe holiday. Ryan, however, is excited to be able to spend some quality time with his siblings whom he has not seen since the Witte and Sellery quarantine, in which he went home for.
Both Claire and Ryan, and the rest of the students of UW-Madison, hope the cases will decrease after winter break, causing a smoother and more exciting second semester.
