We can unanimously agree that the past year has been challenging and seemed to last forever. COVID has changed almost every aspect of the way that we live our lives. That being said, the end is near! Connecticut has had the first drastic rollback on restrictions, allowing restaurants to return to full capacity and even allow larger groups to attend sporting events (albeit still limited). The prediction is that Connecticut will begin to reach herd immunity by early summer due to the vaccine distribution. This is great news for many local businesses and many of us who are ready to leave COVID in the past. That being said, we are still not there yet. 

Loosening restrictions means that we are moving on the right track, but that does not mean we can go back to the way it was pre-COVID too soon. Starting to party and be more careless will only delay us safely returning to what is considered normal. As a community, we need to stay vigilant now more than ever because we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Continue your same routine and finish this semester strong before throwing it away and risk another socially distanced fall semester. 

Now I don’t want to tell you that we cannot celebrate our successes so far. Especially as a college community, we have done great to maintain some semblance of normalcy while following the rules and keeping each other safe. So enjoy the loosening restrictions, safely go out to a restaurant with a few friends, if you can try to attend a sporting event or other larger gathering safely. We will also experience the first week of what will feel like summer weather this week, so get outside and spend time with a small group. Just remember to be cognizant that while the end is near, it is not over quite yet. Try to think of simple risk/reward, like, “Is it worth going to a party to enjoy one night if it means two weeks in quarantine or even losing the fall semester?” No, it’s not worth it. I promise that one night can wait a few more months. This is the home stretch. I would recommend continuing what you are doing because if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Together we can put COVID where it belongs, the history books.