Summer usually allows for relaxing and destressing. It can also serve as a time for fun and travel. Unfortunately, it does not seem that this year intends to follow the same pattern.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently said that all large gatherings planned for summertime in Illinois may need to be canceled.
“Until we have a vaccine, which is months and months away, I would not risk having large groups of people getting together anywhere … and I think that’s hard for everybody to hear, but that’s just a fact,” said Pritzker in a coronavirus briefing on Thursday.
The pandemic that currently sweeps the nation seems determined to stay far longer than anyone had hoped. That means that any plans for the summer will have to be revised.
For many people, any summer plans feel impossible now. “Due to the pandemic, my summer plans basically no longer exist,” said Gelaine Vestal, ’21. Vestal originally intended to help in a community theater. However, the pandemic shut down production. Right now, she hopes to find a part-time job once the pandemic passes.
Fortunately, not all plans have had to be canceled, some were just pushed back.
“My summer plans are to work at The McCrone Group as a laboratory assistant. I will also be taking a few courses at McCrone over the summer as well,” said Alyssa Tovar, ’21. “Additionally, I plan to conduct research at NCC for my honors thesis with my principal investigator Nicholas Boaz.”
However, NCC closed the lab, leaving Tovar uncertain about her plans.
Of course, not everyone has had to cancel their plans. Joseph Coryell, ’20, hopes he will travel across the country, from California to Chicago and then up Northeast.
“It’s going to be a two-week trip and I’m excited for it,” said Coryell. “Hopefully the virus and economy settle down enough to allow it to happen.”
