Graduation in the Time of Covid

My nephew graduated this year. He's from a school outside of Des Moines, Iowa--a rural school, but not as small as a lot of them. He missed a chunk of the rites of passage: prom, senior awards night, and just having time to finish out with your friends. I'm sure it was a disappointing senior year. 

Thankfully, he got to graduate. Although, that of course looked different. It was about a month later than it would have been. They intended to have all the graduates on distanced chairs on the football field with immediate family only in the bleachers. Instead, the threat of unfavorable weather moved them indoors. They graduated in three groups alphabetically by last name. He was in the last group, and had to sit around waiting the whole time while the first two groups graduated. 

Since only his parents and siblings could attend, we watched at my sisters house from the live Facebook feed. There weren't a lot of masks in the audience (currently, Iowa and South Dakota are the only two states not to have any mask regulations). The chairs were spread out in the gym. The diplomas weren't handed to the students but pushed across the table to them. And oddly, they left the gym to the song Ice, Ice, Baby. 

So he got the graduation experience (althouh many of his friends were in the other two groups, so they didn't get to do it together). My brother and his wife had an open house for him. Precautions were taken for serving the food. People tended to spread out a little more to eat. But otherwise, it probably didn't look too much different than it would have.

He just went off to college this week at ISU. It sounds like masks are required just about everywhere on campus. His roommate wasn't supposed to arrive until a few days after him. All of his big lecture hall classes will be online and the smaller classes will meet in the big lecture halls. 

Vacationing In the Time of Covid

In early July we went to the resort in northern Minnesota where my wife has gone since she was young. Things were different this year, of course. Our stay was a day less as the staff needed more time to clean and disinfect. The lodge was closed for hanging out in. The swimming pool had a 20 person occupancy limit. Boat paddles, oars and life jackets were supposed to be dipped in the pool after use so the chlorine would kill of germs, bacteria and viruses. A lot of activities were changed or done away with. Bingo night happned, albeit on the lawn spread out more than usual. The mini golf contest was coordinated so everyone started ten minutes after the previous person. There were no staff versus guest games. Bingo night happned, albeit on the lawn spread out more than usual. The mini golf contest was coordinated so everyone started ten minutes after the previous person. 

Still, it was a good time. We got to relax by the pool and swim in the lake. The kids got to fish with grandpa, and I got to read in my hammock. They played tennis and built sand castles for the contest (though the sand castles were spread out between the beach and the volleyball courts). They swam a lot (it was a nice, hot week). We relaxed, had fun, and had time together. Which though it was different from previous years, still made for a successful vacation.