How Enderun Celebrated the Holiday Break (in the New Normal)
To call 2020 tough would be a severe understatement. Many have struggled to cope and adapt to the “new normal” that arose due to the pandemic. Students and teachers were forced to make an abrupt change to new learning frameworks, and many are still struggling to accept this. We have seen for ourselves the difficulties caused by this pandemic, whether through first-hand experiences or the experiences of our peers. However, it hasn’t all been negatives throughout the whole year. We still had much to look forward to and celebrate this year. Surely many of us have been looking forward to celebrating what is considered to be the highlight of our year: the holidays. The Christmas spirit was, and still is, definitely strong among the Enderun community. This pandemic has simply allowed us to be a bit more creative with our celebrations this year.
While the manner in which the Enderun community celebrated was certainly new, whether it could be considered normal is another question entirely, as it was certainly unique. That is not to say, however, that the celebrations failed to cultivate the Christmas spirit. The opposite was true; a change of pace was exactly what we all needed to get into the holiday mood, and that was what we got. With Christmas parties held on Zoom and digital Secret Santas, everyone was encouraged and given a chance to enjoy the holiday season. There were games, movie viewings, and contests, which meant no shortage of festivities to help everyone get into the right mood for celebration. The Enderun community delivered spectacularly, and delivered a splendid segue into the holiday break, all while cultivating the holiday spirit.
Prin Laurel, a student of Enderun Senior High, said she was frustrated and disappointed at not being able to celebrate properly due to the pandemic, but in the end, she was able to spend quality time with her whole family, including her dad who works overseas, through the use of video calls, as well as talk about all the things to grateful for in 2020. Similarly, Reese Labay, INK’s Assistant Editor in Chief for Writing, said that she was also initially discouraged because there were traditions that she couldn’t fulfil and plans that had to be cancelled. However, her family made amends and was able to eventually celebrate the holidays to the fullest as well as truly appreciate the blessings bestowed upon them this year.
Overall, this holiday season embodied the strength of the Enderun community: the Titans. The Titan spirit and the camaraderie of everyone in the Enderun family are what make everything possible. The comfortable and welcoming environment Enderun cultivated over the years, despite the many unforeseen events that occurred this year, granted us the ability to persevere and enjoy the season of giving. Although we were unable to physically celebrate the holidays together, the spirit of Christmas was still present, and as strong as ever among the Titans. Many of us worked hard to grow the holiday spirit amongst the Enderun community. For that, I believe I speak for everyone when I say that we have earned a well-deserved break and enjoy the Holidays to the fullest. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to everyone.
