NDB students had a lot of fun travelling over the summer after a year of not being able to do anything. Ava Hiss, Anne Lester, Krista Mananquil, and Marie Rossiter all met with The Catalyst to talk about their summers.

The Catalyst (TC): What did you do this summer?
Ava Hiss (AH): I went to Palm Springs and Twain Harte. I also spent time with my friends and spent time with my brother before he left for college. I also went to a lot of beaches with my friends and I met more new people.
TC: How was this year different from last year’s summer due to COVID-19?
AH: I did more stuff and I was allowed to go out more this year. I met way more people and gained a lot of new friends. Last year I didn’t do much. Usually, I just went to the same park everyday with the same people, so this year was a lot better.

The Catalyst (TC): What did you do this summer?
Anne Lester (AL): I traveled with my family to Croatia. We visited Dubrovnik, Cavtat, Bratch, and more. My father has Croatian roots and we were actually able to meet a relative of ours. The scenery in Croatia and just everything about it was absolutely amazing. I had an amazing trip and I cannot wait to go back.
TC: How was this year different from last year’s summer due to COVID-19?
AL: The summer was different from last year because everything was not shut down and we were actually able to go on the trip that we planned for the summer when COVID happened. I am so lucky that I got to have this experience and I am so grateful that Croatia reopened so that I could visit.

The Catalyst (TC): What did you do this summer?
Krista Mananquil (KM): I went to Portland,Oregon and found an amazing anime shop and went to the Grotto which is the Shrine of the Sorrowful Mother. The nature was beautiful and so was the city. I also went to a BSA (Boy Scouts of America) summer camp for a week. It’s honestly my favorite week of the year.
TC: Was this summer any different then before the pandemic?
KM: Well before the pandemic, my immediate family and I would drive up to Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, where some of my mom’s family is. But of course because of the pandemic I couldn’t go this year and 2020, everything is restricted by Covid. Some of those restrictions are mask wearing, social distancing, etc.

The Catalyst (TC): What did you do this summer?
Marie Rossiter (MR): This summer I started kickboxing, looked at colleges, and hung out with friends online.
TC: Was this summer any different then before the pandemic?
MR: No, not that different. Other than starting new things I mostly stayed at home and relaxed, like other summers.