Column: How to make the most of your pandemic birthday

As of March 16, I have officially celebrated two birthdays since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic a bit more than a year ago, so I think we can all say I know the best way to celebrate your birthday safely during a pandemic. Especially because I celebrated my 21st — and now my 22nd — birthdays safely.

I consider myself lucky, to be here at school, still able to do fairly regular activities. However, last year, that was not the case.

Here are some things you can do to celebrate your next birthday without having to worry about getting exposed:

- Order carry-out for dinner. My family has gone to Red Robin on most birthdays for my family of four since around 2008. You still get the free burger, but unfortunately, not the embarrassing minute and a half of strangers singing a knock-off happy birthday to you — which, let’s be honest, isn’t that big of a let down.

- Speaking of free items, the best part about birthdays is the free items you can get from restaurants and local businesses. Here is every free meal you can get in Cape.

- Call or video call all of the important people in your life you can’t spend your birthday with.

- Have a cake delivered, or make your own. Just an FYI: DQ delivers cakes through DoorDash.

Ideas for someone else’s birthday:

- Put together one of those birthday caravans that were trending all across the internet last summer.

- Get a celebrity to wish them a happy birthday.

>>>>> You can use the website cameo and pay for a celebrity to send them a video. It can get expensive for more famous celebrities.

>>>>> If you try hard enough by messaging them on social media, you might get noticed and have it done for free.

- Treat them to ice cream.

Send them a cute gift through Amazon or use sites like Pińatagrams, Greetabl or so many more options that are available online.

These are just a few options — and there are still so many more out there — that are a safe way to celebrate you or someone else’s birthday. And if you know you can safely celebrate in-person either at a restaurant or someone’s house, then go for it! You could even use some of these ideas with your friends, roommate or housemates.

Just because we are still in a pandemic doesn’t mean we can’t have fun. Just remember to be safe.