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Here Are Some Weird Side Effects of the Pandemic You Didn’t Think About

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Montclair chapter.

The last year has been weird to say the very least. A lot has happened and not all of it has been all that great. The pandemic has been scary but there have been some weird side effects you might not have even noticed as a result of the insanity from the last year. Here are some of the weird side effects, completely unrelated to the disease, that have been caused by the pandemic.  

 

You make faces under your mask

You probably don’t even realize you do it, but you’ve probably been making some really weird faces under your mask. I’ve found myself sticking my tongue out, scowling and holding my lips in weird places.

You get weirded out by groups of people

If you see more than 10 people crowded together, chances are you cringe at the idea of being with that many people. Crowded places probably get to you in a whole new light.

You probably picked up some weird niche hobby

Tiktok exposed us all to some very niche and interesting hobbies. Some people turned to rug making, exotic pets, movie binging, ring making and other odd hobbies. Chances are, you might have picked up one yourself.

You probably walked more and spent more time outside than ever before

You probably went on daily walks in the deep quarantine from about a year ago. You probably spent a lot more time this summer outside riding bikes or going kayaking. If you’re like me, you probably entered a new outdoorsy hobby.

The idea of having a reason to get dressed is actually exciting

I spent long periods of time last year in pajamas or sweats, which is WAY out of the norm for me since I dress up nearly every day. When I actually had a reason to dress nice (this could be literally anything. I got dressed up once just to sit in my apartment with friends) I’d get really excited.

The phrase “in-person” is now WAY too frequently used

You now have to decipher if something is happening IRL or online via Zoom. The word “Zooming” is now as used as “Googling.”

Masks. Masks EVERYWHERE

You probably have masks in the same spots as all your hidden chapsticks. You probably have a stockpile in your car, in your purse, in your backpack, probably everywhere. Maybe you even have a lot of them to match your outfits.

You haven’t normally taken a test in a year and aren’t sure you’ll ever be able to again

Let’s be honest, with online classes, we’ve all Googled the answers to our homework, quizzes, projects, tests and essays. The idea of having to sit in a room with others and all take the same test without the help of Google seems a little intimidating.

You spend an ungodly amount of time staring at your computer screen

Between Zoom University and Netflix, we spend more time than we have in a while just staring at the screen. You’re probably just suffering from Zoom fatigue like the rest of us by now

You’ve become the DIY queen

You’ve come to find the internet has all the answers and you don’t even need to hire someone or call for help. You’ve also become the queen of flipping and upcycling. This is your time to shine while being kinda broke.

Courtney White

Montclair '22

Courtney is a senior at Montclair State University majoring in journalism and minoring in fashion. She is also working on a certificate for makeup artistry. Originally from a very small town in Northeast Pennsylvania, she plans to live in New York with career aspirations in the media or fashion industries
Bella is a Senior at Montclair State University studying Communications and Media Arts with a minor in Business. She is currently the Senior Editor as well as contributing writer for Her Campus Montclair and is very excited to take on the role of Vice President and Co-Editor in Chief for the spring '21 semester.