Middle Schoolers’ Thanksgiving Plans

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Although there are reports about some new vaccine trials being successful, they will not be available in time for the community before the holiday season, a time to celebrate gratefulness. Due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases locally and nationally, it seems that many will lay back when celebrating Thanksgiving.

A Dr. Charles Drew Elementary School fifth-grader Nam-Tran Nguyen, stated that this year it was most likely that she was going to have a slight change of plans, even though she was a bit unsure. 

“I would usually go to my aunt’s house to celebrate with family, eat food, etc. – the usual stuff,” Ngyuen said.

She would’ve also celebrated her grandfather and cousin’s birthdays at that time. For now, she had mentioned she was most likely going to celebrate with immediate family and relax, but she is not planning anything very stimulating. Although saddened by not being able to commune with extended family, she hopes to make the best she can of this unusual year.     

Meanwhile, Cabin John Middle School seventh-grader Janet Tian has slightly different concerns. She would usually visit a friend’s house and celebrate with turkey and other friends, but plans will have to be modified-so celebrating with friends cannot happen. 

“My mom’s going to make duck instead of turkey (while there are going to be eight things in the duck which will be really good),” Tian said. 

Although very much excited for the duck and a little disappointed to not meet up with friends, she thinks that this year’s celebration will feel abnormal due to the pandemic. But, she is looking forward to how this year would occur and would overall not become disturbed.

“We usually just eat. Sometimes we eat with family friends, but I don’t know about this year,” Cabin John Middle School seventh-grader Jocelyne Widjaja said. 

As for not having to celebrate Thanksgiving as a top priority, she is not very affected. 

“It depends. My family isn’t from the U.S., so we don’t do anything specific most of the time,” Widjaja said.

In her opinion, Thanksgiving was merely “eating together,” a less vital tradition since she would eat with family friends a lot before the pandemic. So, nothing much would have to be altered other than the food aspect.

The current public health conditions have led many families to decide it would be best to quarantine and celebrate with immediate family members at home. As this year will become more anomalous due to the coronavirus, many things will need to be revised for best.     

Article by Qwyen Le of Cabin John Middle School

Photo courtesy of Karolina Grabowska viaPexels