With the news that vaccinations will be open to everyone on May 11th, many are starting to plan their summer, but it still begs the question: how will summer 2021 look? Hopefully, by May, everyone in Massachusetts will be able to get vaccinated. That is the current goal, while Americans are anxious to see their family, friends, and loved ones, especially for big holidays like Independence Day. It’s easy to say that you think things will go well, especially in a more progressive state like Massachusetts, but it’s difficult to gauge how other states will handle vaccinations and precautions that can affect people across the country if they travel. While it is enticing to travel, see friends and family, and return to normal, I don’t think that we will fully return to normal for a while. The summer is encroaching upon us, and only 15% of Americans have been fully vaccinated. And while that is a start, is it enough for a summer full of adventure and excitement? That is the concerning factor of all this, but keeping optimistic and doing our parts is what really matters. Taking care of yourself is also taking care of others, so it takes a community effort to make sure people are safe. It will be exciting to get back to beaches, pools, vacationing, cookouts, and other summer festivities once the time comes as we all really need a break from working through a whole year of difficulties. 

This whole experience has felt as though the universe is paying the world back for all the bad that we as humans have put into it; but hopefully with this summer things will be different from yesteryear’s. A disappointing update however, is that unvaccinated college students are travelling and celebrating their Spring Break in ill-equipped parties and causing Covid cases to spike in states like Florida. This is really concerning as it not only ruins their time, as they are being kicked out of hotels, AirBnB’s, and other establishments, but it damages what the communities that live there have worked to maintain. Because of these parties, things are shutting down again, making it harder for small businesses to function, and affecting other people negatively. This is a good representation as to why we have to be cautious in the upcoming months and do our best to follow guidelines, so that we don’t revert back to last summer. If all goes well, we can return to business as usual in the next few months or year, and look back at our times in isolation in a sanguine light.