Junior Sophia Pearlman walked outside, hearing music blasting and horns honking, to find the endless line of decorated cars parading in front of her house. She didn’t expect this on her birthday during quarantine.

With life moving forward, many birthdays are still celebrated despite being stuck inside. The restrictions with social distancing prevent students from doing their normal birthday activities. Friends have been trying to make the most of the day by making the students feel special while still practicing social distancing.

“This birthday was different compared to other birthdays because even though I still got to spend time with my friends and family, I felt like I was trapped and limited to things that I could do,” said Perlman.

Although Pearlman’s friends surprised her with a cheerful parade, things still felt different than any other birthday. Pearman is not the only student who has experienced a birthday during these unprecedented times. Being in quarantine stops students from doing the things they had planned on their birthday.

“I was supposed to be in Orlando, Florida on my birthday with my cheer team, and I had been looking forward to that for almost a year,” said junior Mackenzie Higgins. “So finding out that I could not do that was very upsetting for me.”

A common theme with quarantine birthdays is car parades. Even though the birthday traditions are limited, being able to see some friends from a distance makes the day special for students.

“Then my family surprised me with a drive-by from all my friends,” said Higgins. “It was so fun getting to see friends.”

Pearlman and Higgins felt celebrated after their friends stopped by to see them and wish them a happy birthday. Like them, many others are trying to make the best of their birthdays in quarantine.

“What made my birthday special was that all my friends planned a birthday surprise for me,” said Pearlman. “I loved it and it made my day way better and a birthday to remember. It made me happy that even though we are locked inside and can’t go anywhere, my friends were still there for me and made my day way better.”