by Sophia Wooden ’20

During a time when no one expected to be forced to stay in their homes, many people struggle with having a birthday during a lockdown. I can say from firsthand experience that although spending my eighteenth birthday in my house wasn’t ideal, it was a milestone that I’ll never forget and was quite special. These are a few ideas to keep your special day interesting and unique!

Do a Birthday Parade

Now, this idea is more for those who are planning to surprise others on their big day. Gather a group of friends, design posters, and line up your cars as you slowly parade in front of the receiver’s house. Hey, you can even decorate your cars with window paint or decals. Maybe even bring balloons to add to the festivity. Just make sure to keep your distance and stay in the car! But hey, that doesn’t mean you can’t hang out of your sunroof as you sing happy birthday. I don’t make the rules 🙂

Employ Games and Have a Busy Schedule

This might seem a little out of the box, but for my birthday I had so much fun bashing my pinata in and watching all my favorite treats pour out. More activities that you can do are card games, movie marathons, tie-dye or painting sessions and so much more! You could even bake and decorate your cake if you wanted. I enjoyed sitting back and ordering food from all of my favorite restaurants. It is important to keep busy and not dwell on what we cannot change. This too shall pass, so carpe diem!

Host a Zoom or Netflix Party

Some amazing platforms like Facetime and Zoom provide a way for you to talk to your loved ones while not even being in the same room … or even house. So organize a little video chat birthday party where your friends can sing “Happy Birthday” to you and you can chat just like you would on a real day. Also, Netflix created a cool concept where you can chat with friends on a sidebar while you all watch the same thing! This is a unique opportunity to not only watch a good flick but also discuss with people about whatever you are watching.

Go on a Fun Drive

You might not be able to get out of the car and walk around, but driving to different scenic locations can be therapeutic and fun! Consider taking your family in a car during the nighttime and visiting perhaps the national monument, or driving in Georgetown to look at the waterfront and cute shops. You could even go through a drive-thru and eat while you gaze out the car window. Food and a view is always a plus. 

Have a Birthday Photoshoot

With it being your big day and all, you are going to want to capture the moment, especially because you are going to look back one day and remember how you spent your birthday in a never before seen way. So grab a camera, (a professional one would be great) and snap a couple (hundred) of pictures. If you want you can even post them to Facebook or Instagram to let your friends and family know what you’re up to on your big day.