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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 15 July 2020
Wait ‘til next year: Giving up on 2020, looking toward 2021

Continued from Front having a microwedding
June 6. As they did their first
There was a months-long look, a massive Black Lives
moment where the world Matter demonstration ar-
was on pause, causing rived at Philadelphia’s Lo-
many to dig into existential gan Square. Photos of the
questions: What is my pur- couple holding hands, fists
pose? Where do I belong? raised, with thousands of
That’s what Dikobe found people surrounding them
himself doing as he quaran- went viral.
tined in his small New York “We were really just a sym-
apartment contemplating bol of the things the world
his future — both personal needs more of, especi-
and professional. Would ally in 2020,” Perkins says.
he ever perform on stage “There’s a pandemic and
again, or would he have to all of the changes and the
retire before an opportunity things that we’re hearing
arrived? The more he consi- and seeing, people need
dered it, the more he found hope. People need love.
himself thinking: “2020 is not And people need unity.”
canceled, actually. It’s an While Gordon says he
awakening.” knows they were lucky, he
Leslie Dwight, a 23-year-old has advice for others plan-
writer, wondered the same A sign reads "Cancel Plans Not Humanity" Tuesday, April 14, 2020, in Los Angeles. ning milestones: Take a
thing in a poem she wrote Associated Press breath, think about what’s
that was endlessly shared “The only opportunity to ted to be. We believe in the their planned 2020 nuptials really important and find
on social media about reset is next spring. Every- power of change and pro- to next year, but only 7% the special. Deborah Se-
a week after the May 25 thing else we’re doing this mise ourselves: “This is our have canceled their wed- rani, a psychologist in the
death of George Floyd at year is going to be drained year,” as one reveler pro- ding? Weddings are diffe- New York City area, said
the hands of Minneapolis of significance because claimed just after the ball rent from holidays in that, hope has disappointed
police. “2020 isn’t cance- they don’t have the pro- dropped in Times Square. for many, it is an event that many this year but will help
led, but rather, the most per sequence.” It’s like Some people admit defeat only happens once. Thus us endure the pandemic
important year of them all,” when Hamlet declares that by January’s end, while an even greater emphasis and thrive. “Hope,” she
she wrote. “time is out of joint,” Pat- other ambitions continue on making it special. says, “requires us to look at
But why do we even say terson says. How do we for a few more months. In Like millions of other cou- the present situation and
things like “2020 is cance- measure a year — a ques- April, many start focusing ples planning to get mar- regard it for what it is, and
led” and “New year, new tion about the passage of on summer. By November, ried this summer, Kerry plan for its betterment.”
me”? Experts who study time that has a whole song most have thrown in the to- Anne Perkins and Michael No one knows what 2021
human behavior say the devoted to it in the Broad- wel, vowing that the upco- Gordon were devastated will bring. Nobody knows
human desire to pin failu- way musical “Rent”? With ming year is actually their as March slouched into what the “new normal”
res, hopes and dreams on seasons, milestones, rituals, year. April. They realized they will look like. Will there be
a period of time like a ca- events. So when a year But that hope never fully would have to cancel their wedding ceremonies fea-
lendar year has primitive is stripped of all of those dies out. It just gets recali- dream wedding on Memo- turing every person a cou-
roots connected to our at- moments, people feel lost brated and refocused on rial Day weekend, which ple has ever met, packed
tachment to routine. and put hope in the future a new target and soars marked five years since the stadiums, concert venues
“Because we missed our to manage expectations, again. “Hope,” the poet Philadelphia couple first with thousands of people
spring, summer isn’t really psychologists and social Emily Dickinson wrote, “is met. “Every day felt heavier crooning the same tune?
summer because it only scientists say. Every ca- the thing with feathers.” and heavier and heavier,” Will the now-2021 Summer
comes after a complete lendar year brings a cycle If not for hope, why would Perkins recalls, saying she Olympics happen? Will
spring,” says Stuart Pat- of hope. January is when data show that most of had frequent breakdowns awards shows be back?
terson, chairperson of the we’ll finally commit to our the 6,253 respondents to and couldn’t bring herself Will we even care?
Shimer Great Books School diet, quit smoking, become a recent WeddingWire to officially cancel the There are no clear answers.
at North Central College. the person we always wan- survey have postponed wedding. They wound up But there is hope.q

What is contact tracing, and how does it

work with COVID-19?

By The Associated Press But the process isn't easy. late, monitor themselves for
What is contact tracing, After a person tests posi- symptoms and get tested if
and how does it work with tive for the virus, a contact needed.
COVID-19? The goal of tracer would get in touch For those showing symp-
contact tracing is to alert with the person and at- toms, the tracing process
people who may have tempt to determine where would start all over again.
been exposed to someone they have been and who Contact tracing is done in
with the coronavirus, and they were around. The fo- a variety of ways around
prevent them from spread- cus is on close contacts, the world. But a common In this Wednesday, May 13, 2020, file photo, Maria Fernanda
ing it to others. Health ex- or people who were within issue is that determining works on contact tracing at the Florida Department of Health
perts say contact tracing is 6 feet of the infected per- who a person has been in Miami-Dade County, during the coronavirus pandemic, in
key to containing the virus son for at least 10 minutes around can get harder as Doral, Fla. Associated Press
and allowing places to re- or so. Those people would gatherings with friends and
open more safely. then be asked to self-iso- family resume, and as bars, restaurants and other plac- es start reopening. q