I held my birthday party on Zoom this year. I turned 22 in the midst of a pandemic, so celebrating through webcams was the only responsible decision I could make. This sounds sadder than it actually was; I had the best time.
Image courtesy of Shealeigh Voitl.
March 29 fell on a Sunday this year. So, I was lucky to spend the day with my family, play board games, eat takeout at the kitchen table — I started the year surrounded by love (and chicken tikka masala.) I was incredibly thankful.
Truthfully, I felt guilty for ever feeling sad that my birthday would be spent in quarantine. There were so many other things to be afraid of, to worry about, to want to change. The day of my birthday, or the fact that it fell in the middle of a stay-at-home order, truly wasn’t one of them. Being sad about how different things are is allowed, but if you can, channel that energy into helping those that are suffering through this enormous crisis. (Resources can be found here.)
Quarantining is the right thing to do. Staying home protects essential workers who are showing up every single day. So, on the day of my birthday, I planted myself on the sofa in my childhood home and lounged into 22. Still, I couldn’t help but think, “What a bummer to be a Pisces and Aries (and now Taurus) in 2020.”
So, if that’s you and you’re wondering how you’re going to celebrate this little part of your birthday this year, I’m here for you.
- If you choose Zoom to celebrate, the free accounts only let you chat for 40 minutes. It will literally shut down your party without any warning. In retrospect, I would’ve picked Google Hangout, which allows you to invite up to 10 people with no time limit.
- Dress up maybe! I wore my Homecoming dress from my senior year of high school to make myself feel like the dancing queen. Or, alternatively, you can pick a theme. Maybe PJs. They’re very in right now.
- Google Hangout (or Zoom) allows you to share your screen which is fun for party games, like Quiplash or Drawful.
- Decorate your space! Hang some streamers or a homemade banner! Get crafty!
- Take pictures! Right now you may be like, “Ouch! Had to have a virtual birthday this year; throw this one in the garbage!” But I think you’ll want to remember. At least a little bit.
And if none of this suits you, that’s okay. But just because you’re social distancing like a champ doesn’t mean that you have to stay totally isolated. Give your loved ones or your friends cooped up in their homes a call. They’re thinking of you, hoping that you’re safe and dreaming that the rest of this year will be a lot better than it began.
