For seniors, getting accepted and finalizing what college you will attend is something that comes with great celebration. However, with the COVID 19 pandemic striking globally, students have altered the way they celebrate their acceptance as many are in quarantine and unable to be with their friends.

Addie Costello ’21 was among many of those who celebrated her acceptance while safely quarantined at home. Accepted into Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, Costello was relatively upset with the fact that she was unable to celebrate with her friends as they were in quarantine as well. 

“I could not really celebrate my college acceptance,” Costello said. “I was able to eat dinner with my family and toast to the fact that I was going to college, but beyond that I could not do anything with my friends, or anything outside of the house.” 

Costello reflected on her experience and considered that the intimate time spent with family was more meaningful than throwing a party.

“I was relatively upset that I couldn’t celebrate my acceptance in a bigger way because it is a big, once in a lifetime moment that I certainly wished could have been celebrated,” Costello said. “However, I did come to terms with the idea that this year, everything would have to be celebrated [differently], and on a more intimate level with only family in a safe setting.”

Similar to Costello, Emma Zhu ’21, opened her college acceptance letter to New York University accompanied by her mother while they were both in quarantine. However, Zhu was more pleased than upset with her experience.

“It wasn’t great to have to do things so differently than everyone else usually does in a normal year,” Zhu said, “but I am still really happy with my acceptance.” 

In terms of celebration, Zhu’s friends were unable to join her inside of her home, so they dropped off homemade cupcakes as a form of contactless congratulations.

Although many seniors like Zhu and Costello were forced to adapt to the obstacles obstructed by COVID throughout their junior and senior years, Zhu understands the unexpected circumstances

 “Being covid cautious was more important,” she said.