Post Pandemic Behavior
It’s been close to a year since the pandemic started, and it seems that things are coming together. The vaccines are being distributed to more people, and in SOME places, the spread of the virus is coming down.
A few weeks ago, author, vlogger, science persona, and all-around cool dude Hank Green (most notable for co-founding Crash Course) posted a video about post-pandemic behavior. In the video, he talks about a few things that he would like to go back to and some things he would like to keep after the pandemic.
I thought this was a pretty good idea so I made my own version of his chart:
Let’s talk about it!
Want to go back/will happen
As for in-person school, I think this one is pretty obvious considering some of my other posts. Online school has been a success for the way it entered the world, though I still strongly believe that learning in person is the most pertinent for high school students like myself. I honestly feel like I am able to absorb the content more, and distractions are not as omnipresent.
Handing out with friends is something I never realized I missed. It’s been a while since I have been able to just chill with some of my closest friends, but I know that doing so gives me instant boosts in serotonin. It’s not something you realize when you take it for granted, but in hindsight, I realize how important it was.
It feels like it’s been absolutely AGES since I went to a film at the theatre. As a massive cinema nerd, I really miss experiencing the war on a large screen, along with other people. I remember the feeling of walking into the lobby of the theatre and seeing all of the new movies that were going to come out, lining up in the theatre, and getting absorbed into a film. It’s a great experience, and one I can’t wait to get back to. I also am looking forward to the movies that were delayed due to the pandemic, a lot of these being marvel movies like Black Widow and Eternals.
I am not a huge fan of swimming, but I know that it’s a much-loved activity that will most certainly return. As I start to spend more time at my desk I think being able to retreat to the library for long study sessions seems like a pleasant idea, something I will take advantage of once they fully open up. I would also love for best buy to return to normal and display everything on shelves! The place is like a museum, and now it’s like a museum with hardly any exhibitions. I hope that when more vaccines get released and the viruses’ impact begins to subside, Best Buy will open up more of their display products.
Want to keep new behavior/will happen
As for wanting to keep new behavior, I think it would be a solid idea to continue wearing masks at airports and huge public areas. Even if there isn’t a deadly virus lurking around, wearing a mask is more hygienic and will prevent something like this from ever happening again. On a similar note, I would love to keep the distancing in lines. It’s been great not having to be an inch close to a random person when you are getting a cup of ice cream 🙂
Telemedicine is something that was forced into the world due to the pandemic. Of course, people didn’t want to visit hospitals due to fear of catching the virus, so telemedicine became prominent for minor issues. I think this is brilliant, as it allows for patients to check in with their doctors should any problems arise, without the need to travel possibly long distances. This is definitely one of the more positive side effects of the virus.
Since we were staying at home, there was a sharp increase in social media use for activism and the sharing of ideas. I think this was another positive side effect that I would like to keep. Using social media as a platform allows people to reach a significantly larger amount of people, and allows for constructive discussion with just a tap of a screen or click of a button.
Want to keep new behavior/wont happen
One of the things that many people started doing during this unprecedented time was reflecting on their experiences and emotions. This is an extremely useful act, especially in today’s world. It gives us a chance to find clarity within the blur of everyday life. As much as I would like to keep doing this, I feel that once we return to complete normally, this new insight will slowly fade from everyone’s minds. This is kind of sad. I will try to be more active about it, and I encourage everyone else to do the same.
Along with this, I would love for us to keep being careful about hygiene and sanitize public areas. However, once things start picking up again and the world moves on to be as busy as it was, this isn’t likely to continue.
Want to go back/wont happen
If online school has taught me anything, it is that zooms are extremely draining for me. I just seem to feel more exhausted after one zoom call than an entire day of classes. I would love to stop zooming once we go back to normal, but I know that this will probably not happen. During snow days, there isn’t much of an excuse to not attend classes if they are online. This stands true for other activities as well. It is what it is I suppose, and I will have to continue to adjust to this new way of learning.
Finally, I would like to let go of fear. While I did put this in the want to go back/won’t happen category, I hope it will happen. Fear is something that holds everyone back. Fear is something that holds me back. Fear has grown so much during the time of the virus. While there was the fear of COVID itself, there was also fear of other, more subtle issues. This feeling limits our potential. At the end of this pandemic, I want to let go of fear. I want to become bolder and not have as many regrets.
As the wise Aristotle said, “ He who has overcome his fears will truly be free”.
Originally published at http://sa-blogs.com on April 4, 2021.
