Things I'm Totally Looking Forward to Post-Pandemic
By Jordan Crayton
Included in the Spring 2021 Magazine
Photo by Ben Parker
COVID-19 has had such a huge impact on everything we have done for the past year. It has restricted who we see, what we wear, where we go, and what work we do everyday. March 13th, the day when we were sent home with no clue about what our future held for us, feels like a lifetime ago. But, as the vaccine rollout gets underway, and the pandemic looks like it’s nearing its end, I am hopeful that we are approaching our new version of normal, and getting back to some of the things we all miss doing. I’ve come up with a list of activities I’m totally looking forward to doing once we are in the post-pandemic world that aren’t at all terrifying.
Having parties and in-person events
Because of the pandemic I have missed out on hundreds of parties and social events that I would have been invited to throughout my freshman year. Honestly, I can’t wait for all of my extroverted friends to get back out onto the social scene, so I can have some quiet alone time when I inevitably reject their invitations. It’ll be great to keep having my own solo dance parties, clad in pajamas, while everyone else is having their version of a good time. Even though I’d rather be watching Rupaul’s Drag Race, I know that I’ll be dragged to some event to make awkward small talk with partygoers. The pandemic showed me just how important quiet time is, and with all the extroverts finally getting back to their roots, I can go back to mine.
Family gatherings
I haven’t seen my large, extended family in over a year, and I miss having family gatherings. I miss the macaroni and cheese, the board games, and the weird comments about my outfits. Or honestly, any random comments about things that definitely should not be said out loud. This year, all of the drama and backhandedness has taken place over text messages, which isn’t as fun. My family humbles me, and makes sure that I don’t get too cocky, going to this impressive ivy league institution and all. Even though I’m 19, I’m not grown yet, so my dress is just a little too short for this function. Without them, I’ve been missing a bit of flavor in my life, and they never let me get too ahead of myself.
Traveling
Traveling is one of my favorite hobbies, so I can’t wait to get out my passport, frequent flier miles, and headphones for my next destination. I’ve had serious withdrawal thinking about the little kid kicking the back of my seat on the plane, the interesting tasting airline food, and using the bathroom while the plane feels like it’s headed towards its demise. I can’t wait to be crammed next to someone in the middle seat on a sold out flight, because six feet apart has just been way too isolating. Going to community areas like beaches and pools with all of their bacteria, definitely doesn’t scare me now. I can’t imagine how much fun traveling will be, despite how conscious of germs COVID has made me.
No more Masks
Masks and I have a love-hate relationship, but to be very frank, I am ready for them to go. As much as I am going to miss the trendiest fashion statement of 2020, which has kept all of my secret lip syncs under wraps, I’ll finally be able to get rid of my maskne. The amount of face washes and moisturizers I have tried throughout this pandemic in order to get rid of these permanent pimples is insane. I’m ready to stop irritating my skin. Also, I am extremely tired of not being able to see a person’s entire face upon meeting them. I never know what they look like, and they could very well be mask-fishing me. Without masks, these two banes of my existence will finally be gone.
In-person classes
One of the major changes the pandemic brought us were online Zoom lessons, which shifted the way we look at education as a whole. With things going back to normal, in-person classes are coming back, which I think is for the better. Having in-person instruction will force me to get up and get dressed everyday (remember when we did that?) and pay attention without Tik Tok or my phone distracting me. I won’t have Zoom recordings to rely on, or asynchronous lectures I’ll say I’m going to watch later but never, ever do. We’ll be back in crowded, sweaty lecture halls, taking prelims on actual paper, pretending like we understand anything that has been taught the whole semester.
Feeling Normal
In all seriousness, I just can’t wait to feel normal again. This pandemic has really changed everything, and it’s hard to feel secure in life while things are so unpredictable. No one knew how long this pandemic would last, and these extreme measures made it hard to feel like everything was okay. Now that we are nearing the end, or at least something close to it, I know that things will never be the same as they were over a year ago. But, our sacrifices in order to make the world a safer and healthier place will make everything seem that much better in the long run.