COVID-19 has impacted everyone’s lives in various ways such as school, work, and personal relationships.  The ability to have romantic relationships. Some student couples have had to find unique solutions to face this challenge.

   With quarantine in effect at the beginning of March, pairs have had to stay home and find other ways to have fun together. Playing online games, watching online movie sessions, and Face-Timing were ways duos stayed connected over the phone.

   Junior Ella Berkle and senior Sam Blankenship weren’t able to see each other for weeks due to Berkle’s parents working in the medical field. They used the advantages of smartphones and the internet to their advantage.

“Face-Time definitely helped. There were times where I got exposed at work and I wasn’t able to see him until I received a negative test result. Luckily, I never caught the virus, but there were times where we prepared to not see each other for two weeks,” Berkle said. 

Seniors Chloe Stevens and Caleb Vernon had recently started dating soon before quarantine and were able to see each other during; however, everything was closed. In order to maintain that spark, for their three-month anniversary, Vernon recreated an Italian restaurant at home to celebrate.

   “Our relationship definitely grew stronger and we grew really close. He’s my best friend,” Stevens said. 

   When the restrictions finally began to loosen up, couples like senior Lindsey Keup and senior Reid Smith were allowed to walk around parks and neighborhoods to finally physically connect again while remaining safe.

   Most couples have the ability to go out now, however, many are struggling with finding date activities. Many places are closed or close early due to COVID-19.

   “We wanted to go to the movie theatre, but we couldn’t. There’s barely anything to do,” junior Emily Rawssaid.

   Some ways to spend time together while keeping safe from the public are stargazing, movie nights, nature walks, pumpkin picking, apple picking, and the drive-in movie theatre.

   While attempting to date during the age of COVID-19 has proven somewhat challenging, it is not impossible.  Where there is a will, there is a way, as these couples have shown.  Creativity is key and in some instances, having to go the extra mile to get and/or keep a relationship may keep relationships thriving.