Readjusting to Post-Quarantine Life

Whether or not we knew it at the time, quarantine was life-changing for all of us. Most people alive today have never experienced anything quite like it, having only read about it in history books and apocalyptic novels. Within those months, all the “me time” we had so desperately claimed we were in dire need of had suddenly shown up at our door, wrapped in paper and string. There was suddenly enough time to catch up on all of the things we always said we would do if we had the time. (Spoiler alert: most of us still didn’t do all of those things.) The days were filled with excessive baking, learning TikTok dances, and binge-watching tv and movies all in the comfort––and often claustrophobia––of our childhood homes. 

Our conversations grew limited as the number of people we saw daily shrank. I didn’t realize at the time, but this abrupt change of lifestyle naturally affected our social habits and behaviors. I grew accustomed to casual conversations with my mom and only speaking in TikTok tracks with my brother. I was in no way prepared for the shock of returning to campus and a more social, albeit distant, life. 

Quickly, I realized how every conversation I had circled through the same patterns: discussing the election, quarantine, and the potential for a vaccine. No matter who I spoke to, these topics were naturally brought up. 

It didn’t hit me how much our conversational skills as a society had regressed until I went on a socially distanced outing with my boyfriend and two of his friends, both of whom I had not seen in seven months. My communication skills with them and theirs with me were strained, as the lack of contact over the months acted as a gap in the conversation. My boyfriend became the middleman, carrying the entire conversation as both parties had lost all ability to discuss anything other than what has become small talk. As an extroverted, very social person, I was astounded at this. I shared this experience with a friend of mine, and I found that this is now a common circumstance. 

All of these months in isolation have made us forget how to communicate and search for depth in conversations. We must remind ourselves to go deeper because being socially distant does not equate to being emotionally distant. As we continue to transition back to life on campus and life post-quarantine, we must retrain ourselves to not give up after mere minutes of COVID-related conversation. If we do not begin to bridge the gap now, it will be much more difficult to forge and reignite friendships post-pandemic. We owe it to our future selves and to each other to remind ourselves how to be good communicators and listeners. It is important to not let these awkward moments of readjustment prevent us from seeking meaningful conversations and connections.

Though quarantine gave us moments of self-care and self-growth, they will not mean as much if we don’t know how to share it with our loved ones and with the world post-pandemic.

Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!

• adjustment
• college
• life
• pandemic
• quarantine
• social
• Social Distancing
• tiktok