If your birthday is coming up in the near future, you’re about to have a birthday that is unlike any other you have ever had before.

That’s the sad reality of it.

But Tim O’Brien, our first Hawk to have his birthday whilst in quarantine, is here to brighten up your special day with some advice on how to go about celebrating in this new world.

Presenting Tim’s tips…

Houseparty and FaceTime is key

I lost count of how many Houseparty and FaceTime calls I had on the day which was very nice of people. I guess, when it comes to having people sing happy birthday to you via FaceTime, it really gives you a chance to work out who the good singers are and who are the average ones since they’re just singing by themselves.

A cake is still absolutely necessary

I obviously knew it wasn’t really going to be like any birthday I had had before but that doesn’t mean going without the essential item of any birthday. There was definitely still a cake on Saturday – no one should go without that!

Put pressure on housemates/girlfriends/pets to make it a special day

I only had my brother and my girlfriend around with me on Saturday so obviously your company is going to be limited at the moment. I think the important thing here is to heap a lot of pressure on whoever is in your household to make sure it is a good day for yourself. Luckily, my guys did a good job!

Take note of all present promises

Given that visitors were so limited, I received a lot of “present promises”. This was where people were promising me they had presents ready for me but couldn’t deliver them to me. Understandable, but I’d say make sure you write down a list of all of these promises in case, when the time comes, these presents don’t ever come to fruition.

Also, take note of those who forgot that it was your birthday

My second last tip I guess is not dissimilar to any normal birthday. Just be aware of who completely forgot it was your birthday and make sure they know how disappointed you are with them.

Remember it's all for the best

We're all experiencing difficult times right now, and while it may leave you feeling a bit flat knowing that you can't go out to celebrate your birthday, just remember you're playing your role to protect the health and safety of our community. Listen to the government advice, wash your hands regularly, and when it's finally considered safe to do so, go out and celebrate with all your friends and family.