Backpack Year in Review: 2020

2020 was a bit of a dumpster fire. It felt like March lasted at least until June, we switched to all online classes, and dealt with-and are still dealing with- an emotionally exhausting, deadly pandemic. Throw in a presidential election and a civil rights movement and we can say without a doubt that 2020 was one of the most outlandish years many of us have ever lived through. 

Here at Backpack we are trend seekers. Through it all, we can count on people to come together in camaraderie through challenging times. Social media became even more important this year, connecting us to friends and family during an isolating time. Whether it was sharing recipes for various breads, learning TikTok dances, or watching The Queen’s Gambit, somehow we all found ways to cope. 

Now it feels almost nostalgic to reminisce on early quarantine when we all thought this would only last a couple weeks and staying home was still fun and novel. Although COVID-19 has fully changed all of our lives, I continue to be amazed at the creativity and resilience of our human race. I know everyone is hoping for 2021 to be a better year, and it will be. But through all the pain and hardship, 2020 did offer us some valuable lessons. It fostered innovation, pushed us to explore new creative facets, and caused all of us to stop and contemplate who and what was really important to us. While some trends should probably stay in 2020 (i.e. whipped coffee), I like to think after this everyone will have a little more empathy, patience, and appreciation for others. This timeline will hopefully provide a snapshot of the phases of quarantine and the moments that we will remember forever, along with some that we’d rather forget. 

*This quarantine timeline does not include the serious issues and movements that occurred throughout 2020, including Black Lives Matter, COVID numbers, or anything of the sort.