4 Activities Everyone Is Looking Forward To Post-pandemic
It's been well over a year since we all had to mask up and shelter away from each other.
COVID-19 shook the world's foundation, making society reassess many aspects of how it's run and the way it looks at things.
After the foundation was shaken, a new one is being built.
Vaccination numbers are increasing, inching us ever so close to herd immunity. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
However, we are still in the tunnel. The pandemic is still here. New variants in other countries are gaining a foothold, so the battle is not quite over.
While we wait for the bitter end of this pandemic, we always can look ahead and anticipate the resurgence of some of our favorite activities before lockdown started.
Here are some things everybody is looking forward to post-pandemic.
1. Going to Live Music Shows
This activity is one I sorely miss. Every week I would go to shows around my city. I would watch my friends play their sets as I would play myself.
Not only show great entertainment, but they are a built-in social workshop for an artist to connect and collaborate. I can't tell you how many times I spoke with another artist which turned into a future partnership.
Live shows will bring life back into the music community and the communities that surround it.
2. Going out to Eat
Even though you can support your local restaurant in these times by ordering take-out or delivery, actually going out to eat and experiencing an establishment is a treat in itself.
Whether it is the atmosphere, the friendly service staff, the great drink menu, exceptional cuisine, or all four; many of us are desperately craving a dining experience outside of our personal kitchens.
3. Seeing Family Members Again
One of the biggest struggles of the pandemic is the sheer separation from family; especially older and vulnerable family members.
Not being able to see some loved ones on Thanksgiving or Christmas throws salt on the wounds as some of the older family members you can't see may not have many holidays left.
Luckily, with our elders being first in lines for vaccines to start the year, more and more of the elderly population are now fully vaccinated, allowing them to see their loved ones and spend those precious moments without fear.
4. Sporting Events
If you watched sports in 2020, like everyone else, you were at home. It was surreal to see these massive stadiums not hold a single soul in the stands.
It was pretty bad timing for some sports teams. The Las Vegas Raiders, fresh out of their move from Oakland, couldn't let any fans into their new stadium that had a whopping 2 billion dollar price tag.
It wasn't professional sports teams suffering the most, however. Many high school seniors missed out on their final seasons of the sports they've been playing since childhood.
I remember my senior year participating in my favorite sports. I soaked up every game, every meet I could for I knew I may not get to do this again.
It's unfortunate that last year's seniors had to navigate through those tough waters, but at least future seniors may have a better shot at finding closure with their passions.
We're Ready for the New Norm
People frequently profess, "I can't wait to get back to normal."
Unfortunately, the "normal" we experienced no longer exists.
On the other side of the pandemic lies a new world and uncertain world. Along with it, will come new challenges. Humans are great at finding a balance between trudging head-on to new challenges and finding a routine.
So there will be a "normal" but not as we expect.
There are many things we'll get back from the old world. There are too many to name, but the four I mentioned will give our society a morale boost once we defeat COVID-19.
Opinions and Perspectives
The article is optimistic but we need to be realistic about future variants.
Been exploring new hobbies during lockdown. Might not go out as much as before.
Miss the energy of a packed concert venue. Nothing compares to that feeling.
Looking forward to festivals the most. The music, food, and community all in one place.
The mental health impact of isolation isn't discussed enough in this article.
Actually prefer watching sports at home now. Better view, cheaper drinks, no crowds.
The music industry needs to adapt better to digital platforms. This showed their weaknesses.
Started supporting more local businesses during the pandemic. Plan to continue that habit.
My kids haven't seen their cousins in person for over a year. It's been really tough.
Learned to appreciate simple pleasures during lockdown. Changed my perspective completely.
The article is right about high school sports. Those memories are irreplaceable.
Miss the spontaneity of life before. Everything needs so much planning now.
I've gotten used to having more personal space in public. Hope that stays.
Live sports just hit different when you're actually in the stadium. TV doesn't capture the atmosphere.
The pandemic really showed us what matters most in life. Family, friends, and experiences over material things.
Can't believe how much I miss the simple pleasure of sitting in a coffee shop.
Interesting how the article doesn't mention working from home. That's a huge change that's here to stay.
My grandmother passed during lockdown. Not being able to say goodbye properly still hurts.
Live music will come back stronger than ever. Artists have so much pent-up creativity to share.
Some of us never stopped seeing family. Not everyone followed the rules so strictly.
The article should have mentioned movie theaters. Nothing beats the big screen experience.
Been practicing my cooking skills during lockdown. Restaurants better step up their game!
Missing sports but definitely not missing those overpriced stadium beers!
Wonder how many restaurants will keep their expanded outdoor seating post-pandemic.
The part about live music being a social workshop for artists is spot on. Online collaboration just isn't the same.
Family gatherings will feel extra special now. We won't take them for granted anymore.
I've actually saved so much money not eating out. Might keep cooking at home more often.
My local music scene is completely different now. Many venues closed permanently.
Watching sports without crowd noise was so weird. Those artificial crowd sounds made it even stranger.
Really feeling for those Raiders fans who couldn't experience their new stadium properly.
The article misses mentioning travel! That's what I'm most excited about post-pandemic.
Remember when we thought this would only last a few weeks? Those were naive times.
I've been to a few small shows recently and it's just not the same with social distancing. Looking forward to proper concerts again.
The new normal might actually be better in some ways. We've learned valuable lessons about work-life balance.
My first post-pandemic plan is a huge family reunion. We've got so much lost time to make up for.
Going to disagree about missing family gatherings. The peace and quiet has been wonderful.
Small local restaurants near me didn't survive the pandemic. That's the real tragedy nobody talks about enough.
Cannot wait to see my favorite bands again. Been saving money for concert tickets since last year.
I personally think sporting events should remain at reduced capacity. It's safer and tickets might actually become affordable!
The part about not returning to normal really resonates with me. We need to accept that some changes will be permanent.
Agree about restaurants! Take-out is fine but nothing beats the full dining experience. I miss the ambiance and service.
I actually enjoyed the quieter lifestyle during lockdown. Not sure I want everything to go back to how it was before.
The article makes a good point about high school seniors missing their final sports seasons. My heart goes out to those kids who lost those precious moments.
Family gatherings are what I miss most. Video calls just aren't the same as hugging my grandkids.
Looking forward to concerts but I'm honestly a bit anxious about large crowds now. Anyone else feeling the same way?
I really miss live music shows too. The energy of the crowd and the raw talent on stage just can't be replicated through livestreams.