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.