By Brennen McWright, staff writer

Everyone has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, relationships have suffered a special type of blow. Freshman Casey Williams says that her relationship during quarantine with her boyfriend Cameron Snyder, a sophomore from McDowell High School, is very different from her in-person relationship. “In person we have better conversations,” Williams said.

She added that because there are people in her home with medical issues, she has taken the quarantine very seriously, but she doesn’t feel like her relationship with Snyder will suffer too much from the separation. “We have been texting each other in the morning or (during the) night,” Williams said.

Others haven’t been separated by COVID-19. Sophomore Ally Phelan and senior Nathan Barner see each other frequently. “We aren’t really quarantining since we only live under 10 minutes apart,” Phelan said. Phelan says that her relationship hasn’t been affected because she also communicates with Barner by text and phone call every day.     

Not seeing your boyfriend or girlfriend can force you to find new activities. “I’ve been doing different projects around the house like cleaning the garage and fixing my dad’s old tractor,” Williams said. 

This historic pandemic is scary for many, and it can place stress on relationships. At the same time, it can provide opportunities to grow together or learn something new, and social distancing will have to end at some point.  “I think that if you have a healthy relationship, it will go back to normal,” Phelan said. “It may take some work, but it will be worth it in the long run.”

If you would like to be featured in a future Saegertown Shutdown Story, email [email protected] or [email protected]