With people 16 and older now able to receive the Pfizer vaccine, the threat of COVID-19 is lessening every day. And with more people getting the vaccine, the possibility of being able to spend time with friends and family comes ever closer. So what are students most excited to do after getting vaccinated?

For most students, like Maddie Rose (10, YPAS), the opportunity to not have to worry about masks and social distancing in large crowds is the biggest thing they’re looking forward to. “I’m most excited to hang out with my friends without worrying about social distancing because even with my closest friends we stay outside and wear masks because we have family who we don’t want to put at risk,” Rose said.
After a year of events being cancelled, students like Evelyn Overstreet (12, HSU) are eager to get their lives as close to normal as possible. “I’m excited to go back to concerts and other interactive large gatherings,” she said. Other students, like Aiden Clark (11, MST), are excited to be able to travel. “I’m excited to go over and see my family in Ireland again. I haven’t seen them in a few years and the pandemic has really pushed us apart in how much we talk,” Clark said.

Students like Story Napier (11, HSU) are excited to catch up on the social aspect of their lives. “I can’t wait to see my friends, because of COVID-19 I feel like I’ve missed the social aspect of high school. Like going to parties, hanging out with friends, and late night drives,” Napier said. “I’m not going to start doing these things after I’m fully vaccinated because we still need to be careful, but it means that things are getting better sooner than later, and maybe just maybe I can hug my friends after this long year.”

With so many things to look forward to, getting vaccinated is more important than ever. And as more and more people are able to get the vaccine, the world becomes closer to normalcy after a year of chaos.