It’s so strange to think that, just 14 months ago, few of us even knew what a “coronavirus” was nor had we ever actually used the word “pandemic” in a sentence. Now, the latter is a daily occurrence and a constant reminder of the chaos that’s become a normal facet of life ever since. It almost feels like that past year and a few months have flown and crept by all at the same time.
One thing is most definitely for sure: the pandemic has given us a new perspective on just about everything, from a hug with a loved one to actually having a reason to get dressed and head outside of the house on the regular.
As we start to prepare for life post pandemic, what changes from lockdown do you hope remain in post-pandemic life?
Last March, my initial reaction to the onset of the pandemic was “Holy cow—is this real life?” This was quickly followed by immense gratefulness for the simplest of things—my health, the health of my family, the roof over my head, the food in my pantry, the giant stack of toilet paper in my basement…
At a time of feeling like there was so much to complain about—namely no longer having access to any childcare and feeling like I couldn’t safely leave my house, let alone scrap together some “me time”—I also felt particularly humbled.
What was I really missing in the scheme things, and how beyond lucky was I to be safe, healthy and alive?
This swift shift in perspective is something I think we can all relate to. We all started to enjoy the simpler things in life because that’s really all that was left when everything else shut down. We embraced family dinners, even though they only involved the members of our households. We experienced way less pressure to make the most of our weekends and actually embraced sitting on the couch with our Netflix cue lined up. We ordered takeout more instead of cooking because #supportingsmallbusinesses felt more important than ever. Our work environments became more flexible, as we all experienced a greater understanding of each other’s family issues. We adapted to the concept of virtual doctor’s appointments, which actually fit into our work and life schedules much more easily, and also made asking the pediatrician a silly question a non-issue.
As excited as I am about life resuming post-pandemic, I do have to admit that there are some changes from lockdown that I hope remain in our new normal.
Lazy weekends.
My husband and I are guilty of being incapable of saying no to plans. We love parties, love being surrounded by friends and family and will pretty much fill our weekends to the brim with plans if we’re so lucky to be invited somewhere. The pandemic has given us permission to do less because, well, we’re not getting those invites anymore! I hope, as life resumes, we recognize how vital some quiet time is and that we don’t overburden ourselves with activities.
Being more present.
As moms, we’re always go-go-go. Sure, it feels good to check things off of our to-do list, but have you ever gotten to the end of the week and felt like you didn’t spend enough time laughing? With so few things to do during the pandemic, we were left to get creative, and this gave way to enjoying the simplest of activities. Dancing with my daughter in the kitchen pretty much every night as my form of entertainment is something that brought me so much joy. I’m not sure I would have made time for that activity pre-pandemic with so much going on.
FaceTime with friends and family.
The pandemic made everyone feel distant—even my own neighbors. As such, I resorted to FaceTiming close friends who lived nearby but who I couldn’t see in-person face-to-face. This was *so* nice. In my pre-pandemic life, there wasn’t always time for that face-to-face chatting in each and every day. While I hope that there’s more in-person face-to-face action in the future, I do hope I don’t neglect to FaceTime once in a while when I want to tell a friend something funny or sweet.
While it’s nice to feel grateful for the simplicity the pandemic brought, there’s no denying I’m also looking forward to doing all of the things I couldn’t these last 14 months like going out to dinner with someone else besides my husband, going on a flight to somewhere that palm trees grow and thrive, and attending a non-virtual concert with a group of friends.
What are you most looking forward to doing post-pandemic?
Written by Jenn Sinrich
Jenn Sinrich is a freelance editor, writer and content strategist located in Boston, Massachusetts. She received her BA in journalism from Northeastern University and has a decade worth of experience working for a myriad of female-focused publications including SELF, Parents, Women's Health, BRIDES, Martha Stewart Weddings and more. When she's not putting pen to paper (or, really, fingers to keyboard), she's enjoying the most precious moments in life with her husband and daughter.
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