Typically New Years Eve is a holiday spent partying, going out, and spending time with large groups of people to ring in the New Year. This year is not the same though due to the current pandemic going on–which means partying and going out is generally frowned upon. Governor Phil Murphy spoke on how there should not be more than 10 people allowed at an indoor gathering. These new probations have affected the teens at Cresskill High School. Many students at the school had to adjust their plans in order to fit the guidelines.

Cresskill High School sophomore Jackie Kletsman typically spends her New Years Eve traveling to different countries but this year she was unable to do that. This year Kletsman went to Florida with her family and spent the holiday in her apartment eating food, playing games, and watching the ball drop. When asked if she liked the way she celebrated this year Kletsman responded with “I didn’t mind it but I obviously would have enjoyed it more without the pandemic going on.” This is similar to how many students felt this year. but others happen to enjoy the way they celebrated this NYE.

Another student at Cresskill High School, sophomore Talen Zitomer’s New Years Eve was also affected by the pandemic, but unlike Jackie, Talen enjoyed this New Year’s Eve more than others. He spent the holiday going out to dinner with his family. In other years Talen would have gone out to eat with a large group of people and then went to hang out with his friends to watch the ball drop. Although he was unable to do that, he was able to do something better. Since Talen was only with his family he got the opportunity to go to a nicer restaurant with better food. “I liked the way I celebrated this year because I ate better food and went to a nicer restaurant rather than in other years. When I was with more people we didn’t go to as good of a place.”

This pandemic affected almost everyone’s time this New Years Eve. Some like Talen enjoyed this NYE more than other years, while others like Jackie wished that there was not a pandemic going on. Everyone was making an effort to stay safe this NYE so that the virus would not spread, and hopefully by next year everyone can bring in the new year the way they want to– whether that is spending time with friends, going to parties, traveling, or continuing new years traditions.