A typical Memorial Day might be filled with sunny lake trips and bonfire parties. This year, it looks like plans have changed.
Memorial Day marks both the beginning of summer as well as a time of mourning and remembrance of those who have lost their lives in acts of military service. This year, Aggies are having to find alternative ways to celebrate this holiday due to COVID-19 restrictions.
In an attempt to continue staying isolated from public spaces, biology sophomore Makayla Bane said she plans on spending the day on her family’s ranch near Crockett.
“I love any chance we have to get to go out there,” Bane said. “Since I can’t go to any Memorial Day parties or anything with my friends, this is the second best thing. I’m not mad about it.”
From four wheeler riding to catching bass in the family pond, Bane said she has no doubt her Memorial Day plans will still be just as fun as those in the past.
“It sucks I can’t be with all of my friends to start off the summer but we’ll have plenty of time to catch up when all of this is over,” Bane said. “I’m just thankful I still have my ranch to go to and that I get to do all of the things I love.”
For animal science sophomore Hailey Rios, a day packed full of fishing and fireworks is on her family’s Memorial Day agenda.
“For Memorial Day, my family and I plan to barbecue in our backyard for lunch and spend the rest of the day fishing in Port Aransas,” Rios said. “When we come home, we grill the fish we caught and have it for dinner and go to a place called Ocean Drive to watch the fireworks the city has planned.”
No matter the circumstance, Rios said this is a tradition her family has practiced since she was a kid. It’s one she doesn’t think COVID-19 could potentially affect.
“Memorial Day is going to be super different this year for everyone with social distancing, but I’m excited to go out on the boat in Port Aransas with my family,” Rios said. “We’ve had this tradition for as long as I can remember and we’ve done it every year since.”
Although it might seem hard to celebrate the meaning of Memorial Day while stuck at home, journalism junior Ryan Faulkner said being with his family and enjoying a simple day at his house is just as significant when it comes to enjoying the holiday.
“I’m still trying to social distance as much as possible, so we aren’t traveling or going anywhere, but we still want to observe the holiday and be respectful toward what it represents,” Faulkner said. “We might hang out by the pool if the weather is good or something like that but our plan is to just enjoy being together.”