Leaving New York during the pandemic meant I got to have Passover with my family and boyfriend, and it made for a different but memorable holiday

• The pandemic has left many people having to say no to seeing friends and family and adapt to unexpected living situations.
• I live in New York City but chose to quarantine with my family in Florida.
• The turn of events was initially stressful but meant I got to spend Passover with my family and boyfriend.
• Ultimately, I found a new appreciation for the holiday and will remember how these challenging but unique circumstances made for a memorable experience.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

In mid-March, I made a quick decision to leave New York City and temporarily reside with my parents in Florida.

Initially, I felt conflicted about leaving the city, but ultimately, my decision meant that I would get to spend this unusual time with my parents, brother, and boyfriend, away from what's become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.

I'm thankful for my situation and that I'm healthy enough to have hopped on a plane in March with tons of hand sanitizer and relatively little worries, but the reality is that it's the first time in years that I've lived under the same roof as my family for more than a couple weeks.

All the quality time is special, but not knowing when I can revert to some semblance of my independent routine (and not wear the same three bad outfits on rotation) does take away from the novelty of being home.

When I threw together a carry-on and left New York semi-panicked a month ago, the Jewish holiday of Passover was hardly a blip on my radar, to be honest. For all I knew, my roommate and I would have bought fresh flowers and hosted a quasi-seder with the frozen matzo ball soup that's been wedged in my freezer for months.

Just as some people are discovering unexpected silver linings as a result of quarantine, the turn of events allowed me to be with my family and find new meaning in the holiday.

A modified seder plate was the comfort food I didn't know I needed

As pointed out by Insider's food reporter, Rachel Askinasi, the seder plate can cleverly and easily be adapted in many ways depending on what's available at the grocery store.

If adapting were an Olympic sport, I think my family would take the gold medal. My parents' household is mostly vegan, so my mom, a plant-based cook, creatively made meatless versions of signature Passover foods.

She whipped up a savory, vegetable-based dish inspired by chopped liver, and our matzo ball soup had a hearty, homemade vegetable broth base (instead of chicken soup). She also made some matzo balls with egg and a separate vegan batch.

Our seder plate was also slightly modified due to what we had in the house — so we left the shankbone, or lamb bone, up to the imagination.

My dad also created a separate plate full of small bites and toppings for our matzo crackers, including the cold deli food gefilte fish, and lots of pickles.

For dessert during Passover, one of my family's favorite treats is matzo toffee, which is absolutely as addicting as it sounds. It's matzo topped with a caramelized coating and melted chocolate (pictured below with optional sliced almonds). The sticky dessert is a dentist's nightmare, but I love it and look forward to it every year.

There are also ring jells, which are jelly-filled chocolates that people tend to either love or hate. The sweet candies have a delightful fruity aroma that I'm convinced would make an amazing Anthropologie scented candle.

In some ways, I felt more connected to others this holiday

There's no doubt that distancing guidelines have made this time especially challenging for people who don't have the option or ability to quarantine with a group of family members or loved ones.

But this year, I felt there was still a sense of community and solidarity — different, but still present — thanks to social media, Zoom, and other mediums that allow for conversation and for people to document their own modified traditions. Sure, while Houseparty-ing my grandma (who can use the video-calling app and is truly amazing) is not the same as being together, the new way of communicating has made for its own memorable moments.

I even felt oddly connected to some celebrities, thanks to "Saturday Night Seder," a star-studded YouTube livestream and fundraiser for a COVID-19 relief fund.

The virtual seder featured a plethora of actors, musicians, and TV personalities who participated in an hour of performances, prayer, and holiday spirit that people of all faiths would likely enjoy.

In the video, Idina Menzel chanted the Four Questions in Hebrew, and actor Dan Levy from "Schitt's Creek" made his own hilarious version of a quarantine seder plate. I can imagine these scenes, among others, were special highlights for people tuning in from their homes around the world.

Not everything has to be perfect to be memorable and meaningful

Throughout the past month, like many, I've come to terms with the fact that some moments are easier than others to feel relaxed, sane, and appreciate the present.

If celebrating an abbreviated Passover in quarantine showed me anything, it's that someday when I reflect, I won't remember the little frustrations.

Instead, I'll remember hearing my boyfriend chant the Four Questions during our outdoor seder, and having Zoom calls with my colleagues during working hours while my mom made matzo ball soup in the kitchen — the one-of-a-kind moments that made my quarantine a bit sweeter.