The world is slowly opening up with COVID related regulations slowly being done away with. While I’m excited to go back to normal life, there are some things from the past two years that I wish would continue. Here’s my list –
1. Maintaining 6 ft distance from each other in public. I love this rule! I hate when unknown people are in my personal space. It bugs me when I’m in a queue or in the elevator and there is someone breathing down my neck – arghhhhh. Can we keep this rule?
2. Wearing a face mask. I love wearing a face mask. The number of bad face days that I was able to conceal under the mask. I finally felt comfortable stepping out without bothering to dress up always since people couldn’t really tell it was you. Or trying new styles out because people couldn’t judge me cause they didn’t know it was me. (I know I should stop caring what people think.) Also not having to deal with people’s mouth odour is a fringe benefit.
3. Having limited occupancy in cafes. I hate when you’re out and it’s so crowded that you can’t hear the people you’re with. Also not being able to dish since people are practically crammed next to you.
4. Cheap hotel stays. I know the tourism industry suffered a lot but boy, did I enjoy my many staycations in the best hotels in Delhi at half the cost. It’s unfair to expect to continue with those kinds of prices – but…can we?
5. Using the fear of COVID as an excuse to cancel plans. I know this makes me sound like a crappy friend but I loved having this excuse to veg out in my room.
6. Not wearing jeans. I don’t think I am ever going to wear jeans again, I’ve converted to the comfy pajama life.
7. Less shopping. I loved how I shopped so much lesser since there wasn’t anywhere to go. I became more mindful of how much I spent and on what. I hope I keep being mindful but with things opening up I do find myself craving to shop more.
8. More time to blog. I honestly marvel at how much time I used to spend blogging. Since there wasn’t much to do post-work, I’d spend hours blogging every day. I wish I could get more time to blog.
What are some things you enjoyed about the last two years (despite all the difficulties)?
PS: I did a fun guest post on Libby’s amazing blog on ‘Thoughts I have Every time I visit the Gynaecologist’. Check it out here.
If you haven’t already, check out my other recent posts –
Happy Panda 
I agree, as much as an inconvenience COVID has brought into our lives with the mandates, I will miss that mindfulness when people get back to normal! I like how many people have had an opportunity to take a look at their lives and aren’t blindly accepting and living how they were previously but have made many changes for the better! I think I’ll miss that when people get back to normal! Or will they? Will they hold onto the new ways longer because they found they’re happier and less stressed??!!
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I agree with post of the points but that shopping point….noooooo….even if I have nowhere to go still I want more clothes 😭
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I completely agree with you on 1-3, and 5-8. That is cool about cheaper hotels. Never took advantage of it though. I haven’t worn jeans in a LONG time! I also hate crowded cafes and people literally breathing down my neck! As annoying as masks are, they do have advantages. Plus, I will make a point of continuing to wear them in a healthcare setting, especially a hospital
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I don’t relate to the jeans point, i loveeee wearing jeans 🤩. Tho i kinda agree with the mask point because I’ve gotten kinda used to masks and it just feels so empty without one, like a part of my face is missing lol. Not to mention the times I’m secretly laughing in class and hiding my face behind it lol
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Love points 3,5 and 8!! Shows you are in the same boat as me during these times. Fortunately, however, cases are declining with every passing day. I just hope everyone learns whatever there was to learn from the pandemic and we never witness such a thing anytime in the future again….
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I love your list and I’ve become a fan of the same things Ru and I used to be such a hugger. 😂
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soooo agree with jeans. they feel so uncomfortable now
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Rightttt? I tried wearing my jeans a few weeks back and was like – noooo, can’t do!
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Our mask mandate has been lifted, and I have been showing my face at the grocery stores. Also, I can now wear lipstick without having to worry about smudging it all. 🙂
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Hahaha. Definitely get the lipstick issue. The insides of my masks look like ‘the joker’ was using them. 🤣
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I am SO tempted to reply to your question in a blog post. There’s so much I want to say about this and I’m glad I’m not the only one who experienced positive changes from the pandemic. For example, work opportunities! I made the much money I ever did during the pandemic lol 😂 Job opportunities were abundant… ended up with 2 jobs!
I also noticed myself shopping less and less. Tbh I don’t shop online much so I really did cut down on spending. We also upgraded to a townhouse from an apartment and it feels good to own some property. Covid taught me that slowing down -!: focussing on the important things is the solution to living in a fast-paced world.
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That’s amazing! Congratulations on the new house and the jobs. ❤️
I think COVID taught us all to appreciate just sitting at home, sipping on some ‘dalgona coffee’ while watching mindless tik-tok videos. Haha. I think the lockdown also helped people discover a lot of new hobbies that became sources of money. Which is amazing!
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Ha I love #6 the best and feel super aligned with that!!! Hm I don’t know if I want anything COVID related to stay in place honestly. I kind of just miss all the old ways. Sorry, I’m boring 😬🙏
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Hahahah, you’re not boring just more outgoing. I think all my points arise from being an asocial, introvert. 🤣
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I can relate a lot with the first two. I used to wear masks in public even before Covid, and I’ve got some weird looks everywhere. 😅
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Right? Especially in India where people have no concept of personal space. 🙈
I love face masks. I’m going to keep wearing them even if I get weird looks.
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Haha! Absolutely. Cheers to creating your own little space! (:
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I have read more books and walked more miles in the last two years than at any time in my life. Some of that is related to Covid and others to being retired. What has surprised me is I rarely watch television even though I had plenty of time to do so if I wanted.
Things are becoming more normalized for us now, but I hope never to lose my appreciation for simple things like gathering with friends. Those times seem more special now.
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Yes, as well as appreciating just making it through to the other side of all the crazy. Surviving a pandemic and all the crazy it brought with it – anxiety, depression, job loss, no toilet paper (for some)…makes me appreciate being alive even more!
Same, I’ve read more in the last two years and have been finding it so difficult to keep at it this year – but here’s hoping.
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Thank you for writing exactly what I’ve been thinking. As a germophobe, not-shy introvert, and retiree on a budget, I have embraced these pandemic-related changes.
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OMG is it just me or does everything on your list sound perfect- I totally agree!!! LOL… I was going to pinpoint one or two but they are ALLL how I am feeling… I am not ready to give up my leggings, or the excuse of covid precautions being the reason why I can’t get together lol, I want more time to do the things I enjoy and I so appreciate having so much space in public now LOL… Don’t make us go backkkkkk lol
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Also, have enjoyed a portion of my work being work-from-home! It is so much easier to have a better balance between homelife and worklife…
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Tell me about it…Chile!!!!!
Hahahah I used to be quite consistent in my blogging as there wasn’t much to do during lockdown but now things have gotten busier I’m finding it a challenge to balance work, studies and blogging
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