First kisses are awkward enough, let alone having to do it through surgical masks. Schoolwork and jobs have been affected by COVID’ and many students have also been through a breakup on top of all that.

“The relationship only lasted like 2 months,” said junior Sophie Brandon about a previous quarantine boyfriend. “COVID influenced on the meeting process and allowed us to spend a lot of time getting to know each other, but it wouldn’t have been a bad thing if Corona didn’t happen and we never met.”

Senior Cole Reiser and his boyfriend were together before and during this pandemic and their relationship was influenced as well.

“Our relationship changed a lot.  In the beginning of quarantine it was tough because I was conflicted because I wanted to do my part and socially distance, but at the same time, I really wanted to see him,” he said. “During quarantine FaceTime was my most used app on my phone because I still wanted to stay connected.”

During those months we had to stay home, it really wasn’t uncommon to open your snapchat and see pictures of couples hanging out like there wasn’t a global pandemic going on. Knoch alumni Sarah Massa and her boyfriend, senior Cam Fry, survived dating over quarantine, unlike some others.

“We were separated and didn’t hang out during the time the pandemic got really bad. But, eventually when numbers went down we hung out only with each other and not others so we wouldn’t risk giving each other any diseases,” said Massa.

If you’re not staying distant, it’s definitely is hard to stay away from others, whether they’re your friends or a significant other.

“I mean I think that during this pandemic you have to put everything into perspective,” said Reiser. “I think that during the first few months of quarantine (March-April),  I was super frustrated because I saw people posting on social media, pictures of them with their significant others. It genuinely really annoyed me because I was doing my part with social distancing and other people weren’t doing their part.  It made it feel like my efforts were for nothing”

Now let’s get to the strangest part about this pandemic…

Have you seen couples kissing with masks?

“Of course we’ve kissed with the mask on,” said Massa. “When we’re at Sheetz or something getting food, I’ll look at him and do it, ironically of course.”

Ew.

“If I saw two kids in the hall kissing with masks on I would genuinely scream and run and try to erase that from my brain,” said Brandon.

What’s it like for a couple to date with a pandemic going on? Senior Cole green and his girlfriend started dating over the summer.

1. Who is your significant other?

Sami Archer.

2. How long have you guys been dating

Officially since July, we were kind of dating before but then I got her a bracelet and officially asked her.

 3. Would you have gotten together if it wasn’t for COVID?

I don’t know. I feel like we would have because we’ve known each other forever but COVID helped.

4.  Did you quarantine together

No, we didn’t quarantine together because we weren’t dating at the time when we had to stay home.

5. Have you kissed with your masks on?

No, we haven’t.  

6. What are your thoughts on couples who still hung out despite having to social distance?

I don’t really care that much. I can’t do anything about it because couples do it anyway.