2020 has been the year of changes. There has been no shortage of confusion and frustration as soon as the coronavirus took over the country. People's lives have been turned upside down and although it hasn't been shown in the news like it was when the virus first hit, this pandemic is still going on. There are still thousands of people getting sick and millions of people being affected by lockdowns and quarantines.

Even though less and less news stations are covering the pandemic, that doesn't mean life is going back to normal. Since cases are spiking and flu season is among us, we need to still be precautious. But the issue right now is that people don't want to be hearing this close to the holiday season. Around this time, people want to travel, they want to spend time with their families and friends- the people they haven't seen in awhile. Believe me, I do as well. But I also know that the holiday season is about being selfless, and I can do this by altering my holiday plans in order to keep my loved ones safe.

There are some precautions all of us can take in order to take care of ourselves as well as our family and friends. One thing you can do if you are able to drive or have someone drive you around is deliver some Thanksgiving food. Delivering food to older relatives can help ease the burden of cooking for themselves, and they can still enjoy some turkey on Turkey Day. Another option is eating dinner with your extended family through FaceTime or Zoom. This may not be ideal and you might have to help your grandparents work the technology, but it is a way for everyone to see each other and catch up. If you think you can pull off a gathering while practicing social distancing, go for it! You should still wear a mask when you aren't eating and try to practice social distancing with the family and friends with whom you don't live with. The invitees should bring their own food and drinks so that contact is limited.

Like I said, 2020 is full of changes. A lot of the changes society has gone through because of COVID-19 sucks. But we still need to be careful. It is still our own responsibility to practice healthy habits so that we can have a regular holiday season next year. We all want to go back to normal, but it won't happen unless you take action.