Humans of Nyack

“Although this holiday season stands out from the rest, I am excited to really spend time with my family, embrace staying at home with them, and celebrating all that we do still have and all that we are thankful for. I think when we look back on the brief period of COVID-19 we should all ask ourselves what we did to make a difference in our families and if we made an impact on somebody else.”

- Farrell Hudson, sophomore

“I'm not what I would call a super responsible person. But with this in mind, I still have a pattern that I do things that work; it gets the job done and I get a good amount done too. As for Thanksgiving, my mom made enough to last the 4 of us the entirety of the break and maybe even then some. I gave grace and we enjoyed rice and beans with turkey and more. It was great. For Christmas, I just hope to continue to get fit, work on merit badges, and game.”

- Kryss Rojas, junior

“My family and I love cooking and eating traditional foods as well as trying new dishes. My mother was born in Jamaica and is Chinese, Indian, and African while my father is Peruvian and Japanese. Just like Thanksgiving, we plan to spend the day preparing dishes from our culture. This includes ackee and saltfish, oxtail, jerk chicken, ceviche, and alfajores. When quarantine first began in March, I became more interested in cooking and baking so I’m looking forward to spending the days before Christmas cooking and trying new recipes with my mom and dad.

As for spending time with friends, we make great use of Netflix Party and group Facetimes on weekends. Although this holiday season will look significantly different from previous years, it is important to stay connected with friends and family safely. Call your family members and be sure to check in on friends during the break! I hope everyone is able to celebrate safely and receive (and give) some great gifts this year. :)” - Madison Milla, sophomore

“With the current circumstances, holiday plans aren’t going to be the same as they would normally be. Thanksgiving just passed and this year was very different. Normally, my family would have gone to my uncle's house in New Jersey. Many of my family members are high risk therefore having our usual thanksgiving was not an option. We had a family zoom and stayed home. The upcoming holidays are different. My family celebrates Hanukkah and Christmas and we always stay home so that won’t look too different. It was definitely upsetting not being able to see my family on thanksgiving since all of my family lives far away but it’s not worth risking our families health. We are all very grateful and will continue to look at the positive.” - Jenna Davidson, junior

“My holiday quarantine plans are to be with my family as much as possible. My family is one that loves to be together and loves to have fun. Whenever there is an obstacle that would normally keep us apart, we always find an alternative because that's how much family means to us. We enjoy each other's presence and we love to bring joy to each other through games, food, and music. I can't wait for another family get-together.” - Marlon Prince, senior

Juliet Lovelace - junior

Traditionally, the end of the year is filled with holiday celebrations, family gatherings, and good cheer, but the holidays will look a little different this year for Juliet Lovelace. As a junior in highschool she tends to look forward to the relaxation she gets from the Christmas break with her family. Unfortunately this year she won’t be able to meet her extended family. In fact what she will miss most of all is her family’s annual trip to visit the Rockefeller Tree in New York City. For Juliet there’s nothing better than walking through the city wrapped in warm clothes with the cold air biting at her face. But as much as Juliet will miss these fun adventures, she’s looking forward to her 2020 Christmas, which she said will be spent with her parents and older brother in their warm house watching movies, playing board games, and “hibernating” for the new year.

Serafin Maier - freshman

When you think about the holidays you usually think about family. The Holiday season is a time to show appreciation to your family and friends. Serafin Maier is a freshman who especially believes in this idea. She enjoys spending her winter break hanging out with friends and visiting her grandparents on Christmas Day. However, due to the pandemic her plans have sadly been altered so she can be as safe as possible. Because it’s so dangerous and difficult to travel, Serafin's family are planning to open their Christmas gifts under the tree on Facetime with her grandparents. Her usual plans of hot cocoa with friends and walking down 34th street to see the Macy’s windows with her sister and parents have been replaced with watching old Christmas movies and decorating the Christmas tree at home. Despite the slight disappointment of not being able to see her friends or visit her grandparents Serafin is still excited for her 2020 winter break.

Amber McDonald - sophomore

Sophomore, Amber McDonald, has always spent her Winter Holiday break with her family at home. Her friends and family from out of town drive from long distances to Nyack just to be together. It’s hard for them to imagine a Christmas spent without each other, but unfortunately that’s exactly what they and many others have to deal with this year. A usual Christmas for the McDonald family is spent under the bright billboards of time square and blinking lights of the Rockefeller Tree. It’s walking down Fifth Avenue drinking hot chocolate and sledding down the snowy hills with friends. Who knew that the pandemic would change her holiday plans. Instead of hosting a big holiday get together Amber’s family has found other ways to communicate with her extended family as they won’t be traveling. Zooming and Facetime will replace the usual intimate family gatherings around the dinner table. Although the environment isn’t ideal for anyone it definitely makes Amber appreciate the importance of family and friends.

Chloe Chin - junior

Tree decorating and exchanging gifts on Christmas day is an important holiday tradition for Chloe Chin and her family. Aunts, Uncles, and cousins from New York and New Jersey all travel to meet each other on Christmas Day. But because of the high risk that Covid carries Chloe's parents and twin brother have chosen to celebrate their holiday safely this year by spending it with only those in their household. A “virtual christmas'' is how Chloe described what her 2020 holiday will look like. With all the tools she has, Skype, Facetime, and even Zoom Chloe feels lucky to live in the digital age where she has the ability to communicate with anyone she wants to this season. So despite all the drawbacks 2020 has had Chloe says she’s looking forward to spending time with her immediate family and watching fun Christmas and holiday movies online with her friends.