Valentine’s Day was just this last month, and many people are wondering what dating looks like in a pandemic. Seniors Gabi Adams and Andrei Shmulevich were nice enough to pause their movie and fill us in on their experiences with this weird year.
When did the two of you first meet?
Adams says, “Chris Holland’s geometry class, freshman year.”
They began dating, but like many freshman relationships, it didn’t last long. However, the flame was reignited this past summer. Shmulevich says, “just like, at the end of the summer, I asked her if she wanted to go on a walk in Discovery Park, and that’s kind of how it all started.”
What did you do this Valentine’s Day, and how was that affected by the pandemic?
“We built a snowman,” says Adams.
“We did, we built it in the street outside of my house and then just played in the snow.” Shmulevich says, “and then we watched Soul.”
What does dating look like during Covid?
Adams and Shmulevich explained that a lot of the classic dates are out of the picture. “There’s no restaurant dates, no theater dates, so we spend a lot of our time going on walks in parks.” They wanted to make it clear that just because it’s different, doesn’t make it worse: “We spend a lot more time with just one another, and it’s nice,” says Adams.
Shmulevich agreed: “Yeah the changes are not negative, we’ve just learned to get the most out of COVID and what it has to offer, and live with what it takes away.”
Netflix and chill or walk in the park?
“Walk in the park” both Adams and Shmulevich say. “We walk in the park all the time. I mean we’re watching Netflix right now, but yeah, side-to-side that’s an easy one,” says Adams.
Any special talents you might not know about each other?
Adams and Shmulevich can both wiggle their ears. Only about 10-20% of people have that ability, so the odds of these two dating are low as far as ear-wiggling goes. “We’re ear wigglers,” says Shmulevich.
What are you guys looking forward to?
“Summer,” Shmulevich says quickly.
Adams agreed, “Yeah definitely summer, just warm weather all together.”
What are your plans for after high school?
Adams is looking into a performing arts school, and Shmulevich is looking into music, “we’re both going into art school.” Who knows, the public might be hearing their names in the next few years.
What is your favorite thing about each other?
This question had caught them off guard. After some thinking, Adams answered first, “Your passion. Your passion for music, for social justice, for biking, and for climbing. You have a lot of drive.”
Shmulevich then responded, “You put your heart into everything, and I think that just pushes you so far and sets you up for so much. I respect it so much, and I think it’s beautiful.”
This past year has been tough on all of us, but this conversation serves as a reminder that not everything has to be worse; sometimes it’s just different. We all miss those school friends who we haven’t kept in contact with, which gives all the more meaning to those that we have maintained.
COVID and the isolation that comes with it has left us separated and struggling to meet people, but for those of us who have found somebody to spend it with, it seems to be a binding experience.
