What Does a Pandemic Parade Day Look Like?

Parade Day, March 13, 2021, Clay Avenue, Scranton PA

by Gabriela Fitzpatrick | Staff Writer

SCRANTON — Scranton’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade — or “Parade Day,” as it is so affectionately known to many — was postponed until September this year, but University of Scranton student festivities lived on in March.

Scranton senior Vince Genova attended his first Parade Day throughout his four years at the university, despite the pandemic.

“I’ve never actually seen it, I only heard stories, but to a lot of people this is very different than the usual,” Genova said. “I mean, we’re making the most of it due to the circumstances. I’m having a fun time, it’s a great day, it’s a great day to be a Royal.”

Genova said he believes there is a level of herd immunity taking place on campus.

“I know from experience, in my house we live with 11 kids, and out of those 11 I believe seven of us got it — me not being one of them,” Genova said. “I’m actually one of the lucky few I never got it. I definitely do think [herd immunity is] taking place a little bit.”

With about 25 people on his front porch, Genvoa and his friends were having a great time he said, “and that’s all that really matters.”

He and his housemates went into the semester with a new saying: “Doing new and fun things with friends.”

Parade day is a way they accomplish just that.

“Parade day is obviously not a new thing, but due to the circumstances, it’s considered a new thing,” Genova said. “We love doing new and fun things with friends and if this is the most we can do, I’m all about it.”

With the number of positive cases being significantly lower than they had been in the fall semester, Genova thinks the University is doing great.

“I mean last year was really tough because no one really had COVID coming into the semester,” Genova said. “In the fall there were obviously a lot of cases and not many people get it twice, so I think we’re just reaping the benefits of that a little bit. We just have a little bit more freedom and it’s nice.”

Master of Accountancy graduate student Hannah Tracy has attended all four Parade Days during her undergraduate experience at the University of Scranton — her first being in March 2017.

Although Tracy was unable to attend this year’s Parade Day due to studying for her CPA exam, she doesn’t judge any of the seniors who attended.

“You only get one senior year,” Tracy said. “If it was my senior year, then I would have done the same thing.”