The pandemic has changed all our lives irrevocably in huge ways and in small, everyday ways too; some silly, some good, some sad, some surprising.
Here are just a few of the latter you might already be grappling with…
1. It’s impossible to leave the house without shouting, ‘Have you got a mask?’ to everyone in your vicinity.
2. Having free weekends has become the norm – but somehow they still go really, really quickly.
3. Instead of invoking annoyance/boredom, going to the supermarket has become a slightly fraught/exciting weekly event.
4. It’s an absolute pleasure not having to navigate cheek kisses anymore.
5. You no longer carry a handbag filled with your entire life *in case* you need a charger, water bottle, passport, pack of playing cards, banana etc. You’re never out for very long these days. Phone, bank card, hand sanitiser, in a pocket – what more could you need?
6. 80 per cent of your wardrobe now features lycra, and you may never go back. Jeans are a thing of the past. Same goes for heels.
7. Every day involves checking on the many, many houseplants you have accumulated over the last nine months.
8. You now have an encyclopedic knowledge of pubs that have gardens with outdoor heaters.
9. It feels slightly odd to go a day without a walk round the block.
10. Putting a bra on feels totally alien. Why did we used to force ourselves into them constantly?
In the early days of pandemic i was like “oh i have a zoom comedy show tonight better straighten my hair do my make up and wear perfume!”. Today I’m like “oh i have a zoom comedy show tonight maybe if i position my laptop just so they won’t be able to tell I’m not wearing a bra”.
— Kristin (@kristinseltman) December 2, 2020
11. Delivery drivers are now harbingers of joy – previously, being at home when a parcel turned up JUST NEVER HAPPENED. Now you’re always there.
12. That moment when you see someone you know, or say goodbye to them, still feels stretched out and awkward because you can’t go in for a hug. Will we ever get to close the gap?
13. These days, you feel deserving of the fancy soap, but then you use so much of it, it’s a bit of a cost-happiness balancing act.
14. Being constantly on top of the washing still feels a little bizarre, but in a good way. It’s one of the best things if you’re able to work from home.
15. Doing your hair and make-up has dropped right down the to-do list. Everyone sees us on Zoom work chats without anyway, so why fuss and bother?
16. The fact you can’t sniff a lemon, check how firm an avocado is, or lick your finger so you can open a filmy plastic supermarket veg bag looks set to stick forever.
17. You always take the stairs. The thought of being trapped in a lift with masked people and having to press the button, is too dystopian to contemplate.
18. If you see a crowd scene, or people standing near each other on any telly filmed pre-pandemic, you involuntarily shout out: ‘No social distancing!’ or, ‘They’re so close! Where are the masks?!’
19. Crossing the road to avoid someone no longer looks rude. It’s now the height of care and respect.
