--- title: "Look on the bright side: pandemic inspires innovative themes" description: As we brainstorm theme ideas each year, we encourage staffs to answer a few questions. image: https://blog.balfour.com/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/090820_TT%20Bonus%20Pandemic%20themes%20header.jpg --- ** [![balfour](https://blog.balfour.com/hubfs/balfour.png) ](https://www.balfour.com/) ** - ** - [** ](https://www.balfour.com/shop/customer/account/login/referer/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmFsZm91ci5jb20vc2hvcC9tYXN0ZXItdGVtcGxhdGU%2C/) - # Look on the bright side: pandemic inspires innovative themes Sep 8, 2020 [Back to Blogs](https://blog.balfour.com) [ Coverage & Design ](https://blog.balfour.com/topic/coverage-design) *![090820_TT Bonus Pandemic themes header](https://blog.balfour.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/090820_TT%20Bonus%20Pandemic%20themes%20header.jpg?width=1200&name=090820_TT%20Bonus%20Pandemic%20themes%20header.jpg) Last year, it was fairly common for staffs to choose a 2020-related theme. Who knew the choice would be even more obvious this year? * As we brainstorm theme ideas each year, we encourage staffs to answer a few questions. One of the essential ones is: what’s new or different this year? For once, the answer is the same across the country and world. A pandemic has changed everything. Logically, we’re drawn to themes that relate to what’s happening. If you’re still trying to decide on a pandemic-related concept, we have ideas! We’ve broken them down into a few main categories and also shared a few books that have used those themes in the past. ### **Staying positive ** *Attitude is everything **Better together **Challenge accepted **Despite everything **Don’t count us out **In this together **It matters **It’s what you make it **Just breathe **Keep going **Look on the bright side **Making it count **Mission: possible **Nothing like a challenge **On the plus side **Onward **Silver linings **Surviving & thriving **The important things in life **The show must go on **The year that shapes us **This too shall pass **We’ve got this* ##### *![21 Pandemic themes_staying positive](https://blog.balfour.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/21%20Pandemic%20themes_staying%20positive.jpg?width=860&name=21%20Pandemic%20themes_staying%20positive.jpg) “What you make of it” – 2020, Rock Canyon High School, Littleton, Colorado ** “The year that shapes us” – 2020, Round Valley High School, Eagar, Arizona* ### **The good & bad/the whole story** *All things considered **As we see it **Back & forth **Been there. Done that. **Cause and effect **Every second counts **Everything considered **Filling in the blanks **For what it’s worth **Go figure **How do you measure a year? **It was the best of times, it was the worse of times **Look at it this way **Nothing’s ever simple **One for the books **One thing leads to another **Really. **Reflect **Plus minus **Weirdest year ever* ##### *![21 Pandemic themes_whole story good bad](https://blog.balfour.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/21%20Pandemic%20themes_whole%20story%20good%20bad.jpg?width=860&name=21%20Pandemic%20themes_whole%20story%20good%20bad.jpg) “really.” – 2017, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, Melbourne, Florida  ** “Look at it this way” – 2016, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, Texas* ### **Tech/virtual/social distancing** *#alonetogether **a/part **Connected **Engage. Connect. Inspire. **Expanse **Going the distance **Hyperlinked **Linked together **It’s a stretch **Just a click away **Six degrees of separation **The space between **Technically… **The long haul **Virtual reality* ##### *![21 Pandemic themes_virtual tech social distancing](https://blog.balfour.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/21%20Pandemic%20themes_virtual%20tech%20social%20distancing.jpg?width=860&name=21%20Pandemic%20themes_virtual%20tech%20social%20distancing.jpg) “A/PART” – 2014, Rouse High School, Leander, Texas ** “The space between” – 2015, Bellaire High School, Bellaire, Texas* ### **Uncertainty** *Absolutely unsure **As far as anyone knows **Believe it or not **Can you believe it? **Didn’t expect that **Expect anything **Expect the unexpected **Hold everything **It depends **Just wait and see **Life is like a box of chocolates **Not what you expected **No expectations **On the edge **Or something like that **Outlook uncertain **So what else is new **Uncertain **Up in the air **Wait, what? **Wasn’t expecting that **What if? **Who knows? **Who would have thought?* ##### *![21 Pandemic themes_uncertainty](https://blog.balfour.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/21%20Pandemic%20themes_uncertainty.jpg?width=860&name=21%20Pandemic%20themes_uncertainty.jpg) "Absolutely unsure” – 2018, Liberty High School, Frisco, Texas ** “Didn’t expect that” – 2020, La Canada High School, La Canada, California* ### **Flexible, adapting** *A [mascot] survival guide **Adapt **Anything goes **Becoming **By any means necessary **Changing course **Day to day **Deal with it **Go with it **Go with the flow **Here’s the thing… **Let’s try that again **Moving forward **Next up **Now, we’re here **Press resume **Ready for anything **Results may vary **Roll with it **Round two **So be it **Subject to change **Surprise me **What’s next? **Take note **Take two **Whatever works* ##### *![21 Pandemic themes_flexible adapting](https://blog.balfour.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/21%20Pandemic%20themes_flexible%20adapting.jpg?width=860&name=21%20Pandemic%20themes_flexible%20adapting.jpg) “Next up” – 2020, McNeil High School, Round Rock, Texas ** “Deal with it.” – 2020, Day Middle School, Temecula, California* ### **Change/difference** *A little off center **A little rough around the edges **A world of difference *A year like no other *Anything but usual **Atypical **Brave new world **Change of plans **Changed unchanged **Common uncommon **Contrast **Different by design **Exception to the rule **Extraordinary **Flipping out **In case you hadn’t noticed **In no uncertain terms **It’s different here **It’s the same, but different **Just a bit different **Life as we know it **Life interrupted **Like no other **Like never before **Like night and day **Metamorphosis **No ordinary year **Not your typical year **Not just another day **(Not) by the book **Nothing’s the same **O my! **Of epic proportions **Offbeat **Out of the ordinary **Restrictions may apply **Same, but different **Shift **Sidenote **Think again **Whole new story **Unusual **Unexpected **Unmatched **Unconventional **Unprecedented **Unfamiliar* ##### *![21 Pandemic themes_change difference](https://blog.balfour.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/21%20Pandemic%20themes_change%20difference.jpg?width=860&name=21%20Pandemic%20themes_change%20difference.jpg) “Life as we know it” – 2017, Thrall High School, Thrall, Texas ** “Atypical” – 2017, Suncoast High School, Riviera Beach, Florida* We might be in the middle of a pandemic, but there are plenty of things to be appreciative of. One is the opportunity to create a yearbook. We’re part of a unique moment in history and we can capture these unusual and historic times for the world to look back on. We can’t wait to see your unprecedented and unconventional yearbook themes. They are definitely part of the bright side. [![21_Pandemic theme ideas](https://blog.balfour.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/21_Pandemic%20theme%20ideas.jpg?width=598&name=21_Pandemic%20theme%20ideas.jpg)](https://blog.balfour.com/hubfs/Tuesday%20Tips/2020_Sept/21_Pandemic%20theme%20ideas%20vP-1.pdf) **Need a version you can easily share?** Here's all the ideas in one document. Click the image to download a PDF you can share with your staff. ### Sign up to get yearbook tips and best practices straight to your inbox! ![Balfour horizontal with tag White-01](https://blog.balfour.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Balfour%20horizontal%20with%20tag%20White-01.png?width=247&height=191&name=Balfour%20horizontal%20with%20tag%20White-01.png)   Get News and Discounts on Balfour Products! ### Get News and Discounts on Balfour Products! 2024 Commemorative Brands, Inc. Balfour is a Registered Trademark of Commemorative Brands, Inc. [Privacy](https://www.balfour.com/HelpCenter/Legal/Privacy%20Security) | [Terms Of Use](https://www.balfour.com/HelpCenter/Legal/Terms%20of%20Use) | [Legal Notice](https://www.balfour.com/HelpCenter/Legal/Terms%20of%20Use)