Students slowly return to movie theaters

Marcus Theaters in Waterloo has been open since August 2020. 

“When the movie theater first opened it was not busy at all but as of the last couple months; it has grown in popularity extensively because of the ever growing desire for normalcy and regularity amongst life,” Josiah Bailey, a junior at CFHS and employee at Marcus Theaters, said. 

Many businesses have had a harder time adjusting to COVID and still being safe while pleasing their customers. Marcus Theaters has kept their employees safe as well as happy with the restrictions they’ve put in place

“Some of the COVID precautions that we have at the movie theater are requiring masks in the lobby area and while walking around. Additionally, our employees are wearing gloves when around any of the food and are wearing masks along with a barrier at the concessions stand that allows for people to not be speaking at each other. Along with all of that, we have socially distanced seating within the theaters.”

A movie theater is a unique situation. In order to keep business consistent and alive, there have to be new movies still coming out, even during COVID. “Per recently, a lot of newer and larger movies have been in the making, and there have been multiple ‘blockbuster’ and high production movies that have come out in the past two or three months with many bangers on the way in the summer and the fall,” Bailey said. 

Even though many people are gaining that part of normalcy back, many still don’t feel safe going back. Just like so many other things, it will take a long time for the world to get back to normal. There are so many reasons why someone might not go back to the theater; in fact, some might not have the choice.

A quick anonymous survey on Schoology found some of the specifics for why some students are not returning.

“I have an autoimmune disease and have to wait to get my vaccine,” one student said.

“My dad has problems with lungs. Our whole [family is] getting vaccines first.” Another said,

“I’ve just been too busy,” another said. 

Everybody’s got a different life situation, especially with COVID, but there’s still so many great options now to watch new movies from home, so you’re still enjoying the same things everybody else is.