Celebrating a birthday isn’t like it used to be

Ryan Chan, Business Manager|July 15, 2020

The coronavirus outbreak has sparked many unorthodox ways to mark birthdays due to the social distancing rules. Some students at Diamond Bar High School have started celebrating their birthdays via drive-by celebrations, Zoom calls and FaceTimes.

Sophomore Andrew Garcia said he wasn’t expecting a large celebration with friends due to the quarantine.

 “My mom told me we were going to my grandparents house and when we walked outside our house [my friends] started cheering and wishing me happy birthday,” Garcia said via Instagram. “Also I wasn’t expecting to get a Zoom call from all my friends right when it turned May 3.”
 At midnight, Garcia was also surprised to receive a call in which  his friends wished him a good birthday along with singing “Happy Birthday.” 

“The thing I enjoyed most was simply seeing my friends again, I haven’t seen them in person since the day we got out of school so I was extremely excited and shocked to see them even if it was for a short while,” he said. 

Sophomore Haley Fetchik also participated in a similar birthday activity. Her friend, sophomore Sarah Ruhl, and her mother planned her birthday celebration, which was also a surprise. 

“I started [my birthday] off by walking dogs at a local pet shelter and then swam and skateboarded with my friend,” Fetchik said via Messenger. “Around noon I was surprised by a drive-by of my friends and family, who were honking and cheering.”

To conclude her birthday, Fetchik watched a movie with her friend Sarah over FaceTime. 

These two students who had quarantine birthdays said they also appreciated being able to see their friends and family in person..

“The drive by was definitely what I enjoyed most because seeing all my friends and family in person was so refreshing,” Fetchik said via Messenger. “I hope everyone gets to feel as special as I did on their birthdays.”

Sophomore Ian McCurry, celebrated with a  scavenger hunt in the comfort of his parents’  home. “My parents set up a scavenger hunt for things around the house like a round leaf or pencil,” McCurry said via Instagram. “There was also a pinata filled with full size candy bars.” 

McCurry said he  also enjoyed a homemade birthday cake that his sister had baked for him the day before his birthday.