Summertime Sadness

Photo Illustration by Kylee Weber

The time is finally here. The moment where we get to stop and take a deep breath, sleep in and feel a weight off our shoulders: summer is just around the corner. 

Many of us have been preparing for summer since we got to school. We began planning road trips to visit all our college friends, finding vacation hot spots and so many other fun plans. However, due to the COVID-19 crisis, those plans might be changing slightly. 

We are currently waiting to see how the next few weeks go across the United States. This pandemic has affected each state differently and can affect the summer plans of thousands. Many rescheduled their spring break plans for summer, but what will we do if our summer plans now have to be rescheduled? 

This waiting game is difficult for everyone who likes to plan. I absolutely despise not having plans. I am used to a busy schedule and not knowing what is next is killing me. I have attempted to plan vacations for summer but it is starting to become difficult due to all the restrictions and precautions each state has in place. 

Depending on what you have planned for the summer, it might vary from where you live. For example, Manhattan, Kan. has decided not to open public pools for the summer. I live at the pool in the summer and if this travels across Kansas and the “Red Flag” cities, I will be highly disappointed. 

Traveling to different states will look a little differently than it did in the past. I wanted to travel to Florida this summer with my boyfriend. I can still travel there, however, it would be highly frowned upon to do all the things I wanted to do originally. 

The best advice I can give you is to be cautious and mindful when traveling or making plans. If you make the decision to travel to a different state, especially if you chose to do so soon, do your research. Make sure to understand their rate with the COVID-19 virus and what precautions they are taking, this research could put a damper on scheduled plans. Be mindful when traveling somewhere, still be careful and keep your distance from others. I personally have chosen to stay away from beaches for a while until this virus has calmed down tremendously. When making plans follow guidelines that the CDC has put in place for your area. All I can tell you is to be better safe than sorry. 

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay BRAVE!