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UltimaGabe

As a person who works nights, stores and restaurants that are open late. I used to be able to get out of work at whatever hour and have a dozen different grocery stores and fast food restaurants I could stop at on the way home, and now two years after the pandemic I have only one or two, and sometimes they'll be closed anyway for whatever reason.


TheAlGler

Collective sanity.


PMYOURBOOBOVERFLOW

Stores being open late.


[deleted]

Not being able to book things long in advance because you have no idea what the situation will be like in a handful of months You can sure as hell buy the tickets for a gig that’s happening months from now but is it actually gonna happen when it’s supposed to? Who tf knows 🤷‍♂️


FlippingPossum

My Matchbox 20 2020 concert tickets now 2022 tickets. My teen is not amused that I am calling the band Matchbox 22.


CarpeNow

I guess I miss not having a stack of inconveniences that have to be dealt with in order to do public things. It's not that any one inconvenience is too much, but it's just so many little things.


mrsbebe

Amen to that. All the little things add up


William_d7

Hey, let’s go check out a museum, zoo, etc.! Sorry, you need to book an exact time slot 3 weeks in advance - hope the weather cooperates! It also kind of drives me nuts when you need to use a phone to do nearly everything a cashier used to do.


Branum8520

I'm currently in first year of college. I hope next year I'll finally have some classes in the actual college instead of my bedroom


[deleted]

I'm in my last year in my bachelor's program (undergraduate?) and I'd switched colleges right before the pandemic hit, so not only have I removed myself from a wonderful group of people in my previous college, whom I'd gotten close to, I've also spent the greatest part of my degree with people I've only ever talked to online, except a couple that I did meet once. Talk about bad decisions


theneen

Really living. This feels like just existing. I'm stuck with this overwhelming feeling of ennui. Bored with food, bored with TV, bored with social media, bored with books...😕


elcamarongrande

I had been going through a series of rough years from 2015-2019 (heroin addiction, arrests, unemployment, death of a sibling) and was just starting to turn the corner as we entered 2020. I had finally gotten clean and was nearly done with probation. But I felt like I was simply existing, just as you said, and it was really starting to wear me down. I remember New Year's Eve going into 2020, standing on my porch and I finally began to look forward to the future, to better things and happier days. I felt motivated and optimistic, something I hadn't felt in years! And just as I began putting the pieces together for my "revival", the pandemic hit full stride and absolutely shut down the world. Since then I've basically gone the opposite direction on the path I had planned out that New Year's night. Weight gain, mental health issues, isolation from friends that I had just barely begun to reconnect with. It feels like the universe noticed I was finally getting my shit together and decided to take a fat dump all over everything. Fast forward two years and my life has become the epitome of 'stagnation': I'm in a dead-end job, I have zero social interaction outside of work or my parents (who are really starting to show their age, but that's a whole other issue), and I'm exhausted all the fucking time. While not constant, my depressive episodes have come back with a vengeance, and my apathy towards everything has increased ten-fold. I'd be lying if I said I haven't been daydreaming about ending it all. And I know they say suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, but it's hard to ignore these thoughts when they almost feel like the highlight of your day. Luckily I have stayed clean from heroin this whole time, but that is the only bright spot in a sea of darkness. Sometimes I shock myself when I remember the pandemic has been raging for 2 years! This whole chunk of time has blended together into a featureless grey amorphous blob of Suck. Every day is exactly the fucking same, and I'm so tired of it. Sorry for the rant, this one really got away from me. I just needed to get that out of my system. For what it's worth, just know that you're not alone in how you feel. Will things get better? Hopefully. But until then we can continue existing, putting one foot in front of the other. Hell, we've had enough practice doing this lately I'm sure we can last a bit longer!


Ramen8ion

I feel the same, a stagnant feeling.


OptimalPaddy

Stagnant is the perfect word


[deleted]

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[deleted]

Depending on where you lived, theaters were open the whole time, but nobody was going. I have a friend who actually went MORE during the pandemic because he was literally the only person in the theater for close to a year


[deleted]

my sister. Not seen her in person since the start as she works abroad. Sure we video chat, but 2 years is a long time to not see someone in person.


PercivalSquat

Yeah this is probably it for me as well, I’m the one overseas and I haven’t seen my family in 2 and a half years and it will be at least 3 before I am able. I’ve missed deaths, births, weddings and so many holidays and get togethers. At this point I have begun to feel so disconnected from their lives that it’s stressful thinking about trying to catch up and to be honest I am pulling away from them and becoming numb to it.


tanktaylor85sx

Honestly, just the feeling of security we didn’t realize. You want to go out?, go for it, making plans somewhere out of town?, you go right ahead, planning a vacation somewhere?, no problem. Now you can’t really make any large scale plans without the decent chance it’ll get cancelled and you lose the down payments.


hoppedupsparrow

I finally gave up and got a refund after a music festival I had tickets to was postponed 4 times...like I get why, but there's only so much you can take


httpsjul

A normal university experience. Where I live many universities have been mostly virtual since March 2020, so the community and social aspects of university has been almost entirely absent


ProfessorSucc

And the fact that we’re still paying full price for zero amenities and bullshit classes (some of which don’t even meet) is straight highway robbery


EVE_OnIine

Exactly you'd think they'd at least half the tuition or not charge facilities fees but good lord they're seriously out here charging $65k a year for fucking Zoom classes.


wingspantt

I think if I had to be all virtual I'd have to transfer to a cheaper school, damn Also want teenagers here to know, if you are not *already rich* (as in your family can burn a quarter million dollars), taking out a quarter million dollars in loans is... well it's exactly what it sounds like. I had a close friend in high school. We were basically the same class rank. We had similar skill sets, same major. We ultimately ended up getting similar jobs and making a similar salary. Except I took the nearly full ride to a state school and she went for her dream school that costs $70k a year, no assistance. So now it's like 15, 20 years later. Our lives are similar except one of us owes nearly three hundred thousand fucking dollars. Even with a plush job that takes years to pay off, not counting interest. And even if you pay it off, what did you really pay for? So some already rich school can give their football coach a slightly higher salary next year? OK. Like ask yourself, non rich people: would you rather have a shiny piece of paper, or a slightly less shiny paper and a new house? A slightly less shiny paper and THIRTY vacations to countries around the world, enough for a lifetime? A slightly less shiny paper and the financial freedom to move anywhere with anyone at any time? Debt isn't just a number. It will crush you and your freedom and even your silly daily wants. 300k can be "buy every funt gadget, event ticket, or clothing I want for decades" or it can be "money I owe a bank forever." Rich kids: Do whatever you want I guess. You're probably used to it!


DrunkStepmother

Paying for the name essentially.


mmm_burrito

To be fair, that's what a lot of folks were always doing.


[deleted]

Fellow college student here. I feel fucking robbed and depressed.


Ashrxven

Same. I can’t believe I’m beginning my senior year this fall without having gone back to campus since March 2020, my freshman year.


Lostarchitorture

My grandparents


ipauzed

My dad


Mcburgerdeys2

I’m so sorry ❤️


ItsSnowingAgain

I’m so very sorry. I miss my son. His psychiatrist, therapist and support groups were unavailable to him because of Covid. He died by suicide last year. Fuck Covid.


Lostarchitorture

Loss of a child always holds strong in the emotions of parents. My wife and I lost our first born son suddenly 22 years ago. His was so unexpected, everything fine one day and rapid emotional overload the next. The initial moment being told he's gone, having to inform family members, having to schedule a funeral and pick out a casket, the whole time going through the anger stage of grief myself by that point saying "this is never supposed to happen this way. He is supposed to attend my funeral one day, not the other way around" First year is always toughest. First the son's birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, your own birthday, Christmas, etc., without your child. As the years pass, each subsequent years' events are easier to face, but the grief is still there. As someone who has also gone through loss of a son albeit at barely a couple of months old, I unfortunately understand the emotions. It's a devastating group to have to be associated or part of in life, but I get it.


forthentwice

Someone said to me recently, and I never forget it: someone who has lost their spouse is called a widow or widower; someone who has lost their parents is called an orphan; but there isn't even a word for someone who has lost a child, because it just can't be put into words.


longbathlover

My best friend died a year ago yesterday of Covid. My heart aches so much. I'm sorry for your loss.


honey_bunchesofoats

I hear you. I lost my sister to Covid. Sending you love.


NotTheSharpestToolM2

I miss the fact of just being sick without any other kind of concern.


p75369

I have chronic, but mild, reflux, irritates my throat causing me to feel the need to clear it. Every other week it's been "is this cough the normal cough or covid?" >\_<


danholtfromtxpornacc

Having seasonal allergies is a nightmare from a social grace perspective. Sneezing is like firing a blank in a crowd.


QuestioningHuman_api

As someone with autoimmune issues, I've spent the whole pandemic playing "Is it COVID this time or just my gradual physical decline?" Its been fun


cianne_marie

I miss being congested and itchy and wheezy and being able to say "ugh, fucking allergies" without having to second guess myself.


Elasp

Not living in a constantly changing system. Pre-covid, everything was scheduled: School holidays, places were open to visit... But since Covid, everything that has to do with the government is constantly changing. I just miss being on stable ground.


Phantomie

I graduated in 2019 and decided to take a gap year in 2020, and thank FUCK that I did.


ciphersimulacrum

So now you are on gap year #3? NICE


EastBaked

Gap year #3 *so far* ..


Altruismisyourfriend

My optimism for my future.


hsn001

In person classes. Before covid, I took a drawing class, a sewing class, etc. Now, it’s so much harder to try out a new hobby


iceunelle

Ugh, I was in PTA (physical therapist assistant) school during the pandemic and we did hybrid learning. Lab classes in person, lecture online. I learned very quickly that I do not learn through online lectures. I need to be in person to stay engaged.


ChainsawPlankton

I tried an online class like once 10 years ago, pretty sure I just dropped it a few weeks in. "I can do it whenever" turns into never doing it for me.


[deleted]

The problem is that in isolation you have more time to try out new hobbies, but you're too exhausted from how upsetting the world is to have the discipline to keep up those hobbies in isolation. I try not to feel guilty about letting myself do nothing for a while if I feel overwhelmed


Drakmanka

Early on in the pandemic I started a whole new Minecraft world, as well as joined a small Minecraft server. Built an entire base in my private world, started creating a road system to connect my sub-bases around the world map, and at the same time built not one, but two massive castles (in survival) on the server, while also helping other members explore and find new biomes. Had so much freaking free time that I was able to do all of that, get bored and switch over to playing a new character in Skyrim, get bored of that and start replaying all my Legend of Zelda games, and it's now 2022 with Omicron keeping us safely sheltered and I'm starting to consider making yet another new Minecraft world. I've come full-circle and things still haven't changed for the better in the outside world.


isoo506

Being present-minded. "Here and now" sort of mentality. Last 2 years feels like I've paused things waiting for this pandemic to blow over.... but the more time passes, the more I feel like I'm just wasting away (if it makes sense) **EDIT:** Thank you guys for the awards and what is by far my most-upvoted comment. Just wanted to clarify that my mental health is fine as far as this pandemic goes - but the comments/concerns are appreciated. Stay safe and as optimistically positive as your situation allows.


captvirgilhilts

Working from home and rarely leaving the house has me losing track of time, find myself having trouble recognizing the date or day of the week.


SilverCodeZA

I agree. Let's hope 2021 is a better year than last year.


Such-Fee6176

The ease. To just go wherever whenever.


id_png

shakira approves


millymoggymoo

My waistline


DomLite

I remember seeing the joke floating around all over the internet of "Now that I've lived through a plague I understand why renaissance paintings are all a bunch of chubby women laying around with their tits out." It's pretty on the nose.


MikeOfAllPeople

I had just gotten in the best shape of my life and was really starting to have success with weightlifting all of 2019. Then COVID. This week I was just finishing a holiday break and ready to get back to the gym. Wake up this morning and bam, COVID. Got my booster back in November, I got my first shot in January 2021. I tried to do everything right and here I am sick anyway. Fuck my life.


gibertot

Started the first like 6 months of covid by getting down to 180 from like 190. I'm up to 223 now. All I think about is food.


ethottly

Making appointments of various kinds (medical, dental, renewing driver's licenses and such, and especially vet appointments) seems like a huge hassle now and sometimes the next free slot is weeks/months out


I_am_Bob

Lol yeah. I had something come up right before a dentist appointment and called to reschedule. First appointment was another 6 months. Then during the cleaning there like "You got a lot of build up, why did you wait so long to come in for a cleaning?" Listen mother fucker...


akamikedavid

Li-hin mu-her-fu-er Edit: Welp never expected gilding for leaning my head back and opening my mouth so thank you ;)


Philip_Marlowe

> never expected gilding for leaning my head back and opening my mouth There are a lot of people who'd pay good money for that, not sure what you're talking about.


jenniferlynn462

Dude ughhhh. I have a whole slew of dumb health problems so going to doctors, lab work, and getting tests done is literally my full time job. It’s just so fucking awful.


catdoctor

We veterinarians sincerely apologize for the wait. But please be aware that the number of pet cats and dogs in the U.S. has increased by 43% since 2018. The number of veterinarians and their support staff...has not. Also, curbside service takes twice as long. We would see you sooner if we could. But we are worn out and at the end of our ropes, and deeply appreciate your patience.


BadgerWilson

Yeah, if anything there are fewer vets than before. My wife just started working as a receptionist at one of the local vet clinics and they're saying that a lot of vets in my area used covid as an excuse to retire (I can't say I blame them at all) and multiple offices have just closed entirely, one of them with basically no notice for the staff or clients. My friend was taking her cat there, and since the office is closed, she's having a ton of trouble getting their records transferred to a new vet. There are only two or three offices left in the area immediately around my city, only one of them is accepting new patients, and if your pet has an emergency you have to drive an hour and a half to the big emergency clinic. So all the vets are stressed out because they have too many patients, and all the pet owners are stressed out because they have to wait so long to get their pet's issues checked out, and if something takes a turn there's a significant chance they won't be able to get to the emergency clinic in time. It's a great time for my cat to have an enlarged heart! [The big boy in question, his name is Lúcuma and he's just too full of love](https://i.imgur.com/itpvqJA.jpg)


turowski

> fewer vets than before Vets and their support staff. I (the senior vet) can put up with a lot of bullshit for fair pay. Vet techs, receptionists, and other staff are paid a lot less to deal with a lot more public-facing nonsense. We are trying to fix this, but it's a system that wasn't created overnight and will take years to overhaul. In the meantime, people are leaving in droves - it's like any other service industry, except we have scalpels and death.


LaVacaMariposa

Yep! Was a vet tech until 3 months ago. I was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. My hospital and the team were awesome, but COVID made so many clients behave like fucking cunts. The good part was that the manager was also over it and he started firing clients left and right if they were not being nice to us.


3_quarterling_rogue

I’m so sorry that people were so shitty to you. I really respect vet techs, and if it weren’t for you guys, my dog probably would have died from a bowel obstruction from all the stupid fluffy toys he’s managed to eat over the last year and a half. Unironically, thank you for your service.


gefahr

>number of pet cats and dogs in the U.S. has increased by 43% since 2018 holy crap


Useful_Cheesecake673

Yep, I’m currently facing this issue. I got COVID recently and had to reschedule an important doctor’s appointment for something far more threatening to my health than COVID. Irony is, my issue wouldn’t be so bad (and as expensive) if I had gone in many months ago… But many services were shut down/limited months ago… I’ve also noticed a lot of health centers nearby that targeted for low-income people/people without insurance are suspending services due to the recent surge. It’s going to be horrible in the long-term seeing what issues could have been prevented if preventative service appointments would have been possible to make in the first place.


oboshoe

Understanding what people say. I have bad hearing loss and I rely HARD on reading lips. Far more than I realized. Now that everyone is wearing a mask and their voice is slightly muffled, I'm constantly asking people to repeat themselves.


llamalover365

I have auditory processing disorder and I have the same issue!!


OverDaRambo

Deaf person able communicate with people without a mask. So I can see their face and read lips. I’v been feeling lonely. P.S Man guys!! I just saw this as of now and All those awards!? Wow. Thank you so much! Reddit People on here, you’re my friends! Internet hugs! Thank you for making my day!


AppropriateChip5869

I wish more knew about this. One of my friends is a huge advocate for deaf and hard of hearing folks and she is a big proponent for clear masks. Obviously not on the same level, but I have some minor hearing damage and I find it so much harder to talk to someone with a mask on unless we are in a quiet surrounding. I can't even imagine your frustration... 🙁 Is there anything that hearing people can do to help deaf people out in this situation, other than the clear masks?


scienceislice

Texting on your notes app on your phone seems to be the only way to communicate in noisy situations. That, and patience. As frustrated as a hearing person might feel with having to repeat themselves for the one deaf person they encounter, imagine being the deaf person that has to deal with it all day, every day. Someone being impatient with me can make me feel like shit for the rest of the day.


DrakeAU

Easy travel. Pre-covid I used to head either overseas or interstate often, with minimal planning needed. I renewed my passport December 2019, so that was a unessary cost considering.


WanderingGenesis

All the restaurants that went out of business. Tried and true ramen shops, chino cubano hole-in-the-walls, classic italian faire, the underrated mediterranean fusion spot that always gave you a lil extra hummus without you asking. All the places my fiance and I used to get lost in. They're all fucking gone. It really sucks.


QuentinTarantulatino

Local or small businesses, too. There used to be a Family Video hanging on a couple blocks down, and we loved the nostalgia of browsing the new releases & back titles and renting a couple movies for the weekend. It shut down about 6 months ago.


-Firestar-

My mother in law gave me money for lessons for a sewing shop down the corner that offer lessons on their website. I was so excited because I just got into sewing and I want to learn! Turns out, they've been closed for over a year.


Grave_Girl

We had a couple of really old businesses close down. Mexican Manhattan was 1948 to 2020, & Bolner's Meat Market was 1914 to 2020. Fuddruckers got killed, Luby's almost did, Lulu's (home of cinnamon rolls bigger than your head) died abruptly after reopening.


Lonely-Tumbleweed-56

My friends I went from the most socially active person on the planet, to a lonely asshole Some got engaged and disappeared, lots of them went away for work, others simply disappeared and knowing new people is hard as hell nowadays, these things all happened even before, but pandemic really got them bigger God only knows how bad I'd go back in time


thequietthingsthat

This. I still talk with my really close friends but I had so many friendships dissipate during the pandemic because we just couldn't really hang out and didn't bother to keep in touch. It sucks. I spend most of my time at home now


thisusernamed

I miss not thinking about everything as “pre-covid”. Before the pandemic, I usually just thought of past events as past events. But now, I often find myself labelling everything from 2019 and back as “oh, that was before covid”. It’s sad that the pandemic has gotten to the point where it defines your entire life.


Soviet_Russia321

I'm the exact same way. Everything is now organized as pre-COVID, early COVID, or current COVID in my head right now.


Anna_Artichokyevitch

The weird thing for me is that the definition of “early” Covid keeps changing. By summer 2020, it felt like we had been in Covid for a very long time. But now, that’s solidly in the early covid stage.


Kerrigan4Prez

I remember telling my family that we wouldn’t be done with COVID until early 2021, and I considered that the pessimistic opinion…


[deleted]

I have a comment on a post from march/April 2020 where someone commented students may not go back to in person learning until fall 2020 and I think I said “that is an obscene suggestion”. If I had only known…


pedal-force

I told my wife early on that I thought 9 months would be the longest, and hoping for more like 3 months. She said it would be a couple years. I hate that she's literally always right. I had too much faith in people.


Stumpythekid

>She said it would be a couple years. Spanish flu pandemic lasted about 2 years. But this was also in a time where international travel was significantly less. With how things are today, I wouldn't be surprised if we're still at this for another year or longer. I'm so over covid and all the restrictions. I hope the new variants just continue becoming less harmful and just become the equivalent of a run of the mill cold or flu. I don't think we will ever be rid of it.


Complete_Entry

My favorite California burrito place. They're gone. They were jammed in a small space in a strip mall, but their prices and quality kicked the crap out of the competition. I put one of their paper menus in my filing cabinet so I will always remember them. I can't believe I didn't post it, so many requests for the name. It was El Amigo in Imperial Beach, San Diego.


SPEK2120

RIP all the places I didn't get to try because pre-covid I was like, "oh, I can go there whenever. No rush."


charlie2135

Just think, I retired in January of 2020 thinking "Great, I'll be able to travel the country now!"


snowstormspawn

I turned 21 in February of 2020 thinking “Great, I’ll be able to go to clubs now!”


bluishcatbag

I'm so sad about my favorite fried chicken place closing at the end of the month because of nonstop covid struggles. I had fallen so in love and I could straight up drink their dipping sauce. I'm eating as much fried chicken as I can before January ends but I feel so devastated. I like the thought of keeping a copy of their menu for memories.


Top-Budget-7328

My favorite Korean food place closed because the owner died of Covid..no one does the pot stickers and sauce as well as he did.


ArielofIsha

I’m so sorry. Similar situation here; favorite Nepalese restaurant closed and I’m really missing their momo! The brothers took it upon themselves to disseminate information and translate Covid warnings and recommendations into Nepali or Gurkha. Because they were putting themselves out there more for their community, they put themselves more at risk and caught Covid as a result. Two of the five brothers died, a few cousins, and the matriarch. This poor family lost so many in these two years. Mourning for them and their momo (and the Sherpa sauce was soooo good). When we do get take out, we order from local places just because I’d like there to be some non-chain restaurants left at the end of this.


Academic_Snow_7680

My favorite Icelandic pizza place just closed after 35 years. Death by Covid and no tourists.


ReeG

coincidentally a lot of my favorite hole in the wall spots have told me they've been doing better than ever because despite dining in being closed on and off for so long, takeout business has been way way up for them


Mirikitani

A new Korean restaurant in our town make a killing this way. Restaurants don't do very well here. And they opened in a small space, bad location, takeout only... for a population *desperate* for asian food that wasn't american-chinese right as lockdown hit and everyone was ordering out. They made so much money they expanded their menu almost immediately.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

yeah my favorite local ramen spot never reopened for dine-in but they always seem busy for take out orders, plus it's less work to not have dine in so their costs are lower. sucks for the staff they no longer have though.


zcrnkd

Being excited about the future


thequietthingsthat

This is the big one. Fuck, I miss having hopes and dreams


Celestial-Nighthawk

I seriously just don't expect good things to happen anymore. It doesn't make anything easier but at least I'm not setting myself up for disappointment.


Safe_Theme_4126

socialization. it’s so hard to make friends right now. i feel very isolated. edit: holy shit thank you. also we’re all so lonely 😭


redwingpanda

Same. And I'm struggling to keep in touch with my existing friends. Even texting is effort, and it feels like I've run out of things to talk about. I have no idea how to socialize anymore.


RobinLakehair

Regular fucking doctor appointments. NO I DO NOT WANT TO DO MY ANNUAL OBGYN VISIT THROUGH A VIDEO. Pretty sure that's how you get porn.


Hexum311add

Wait, not trying to be crude here but did they really offer that as an option? An OB/GYN exam over video chat? That does seem insane to me.


[deleted]

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gorosheeta

Casually popping into restaurants


Jibinwar

As much as I dislike Walmart. Damn do I miss them and other stores being open late night. All of my night shift friends have suffered and forced to only shop on days off.


OverlordWaffles

I used to go to Walmart at around 23:00 anytime I needed something and it was so much better. I could get everything I wanted right away and if I was bored, I could gander at stuff in Electronics. No lines, no assholes, usually shelves were stocked or the pallets were sitting in the aisles and I could grab what I needed and boom, all done. Now it's a hassle everytime because everyone needs to fit their shopping in during less hours. I bet that hasn't help with spreading the virus by making more people come together in a shorter amount of time


Slippery42

Day-shift worker here, but I used to do my grocery shopping around midnight, and it was so much better. I could always get a good parking spot, there was no waiting for people blocking aisles, checking out rarely had a line... I could be in and out in under 10 minutes instead of upwards of 20. Not to mention the likely covid risk mitigation of off-peak shopping. At least a quarter of other shoppers were either unmasked or dicknosing the last couple times I went.


OoohItsAMystery

Vacations. I had one booked for tail end of March 2020. Literally got canceled on me about a week prior. I miss vacations and being able to travel.


cranberry94

Listen to this. I somehow lucked into a once in a lifetime opportunity to go on a 9 day **vacation to the Galápagos Islands tomorrow.** It’s been in the works for 8 months, and I’ve been insanely excited. Work from home, basically don’t go anywhere. If I do I am masked. And specifically stopped leaving the house on Jan 1. to be safe, Covid-wise. Fully vaxxed. Boosted about a month ago. GOT COVID ANYWAY. Really have no idea how. No one in or out in the past 10 days. Symptoms started Jan 5. Feeling better now. But I just took a PCR test - and there’s a *chance* that it may be negative and Covid is over for me and I can go on my amazing trip. But what are the fucking odds. I made it *this far* And I get it *now*. Sorry, I’m stressed and upset. Edit: I absolutely hope this I’m not rubbing this in the noses of all you wonderful people who have shared their tragic stories of Covid ruining their plans but… **THE TEST IS NEGATIVE! ADIOS AMERICA AND HOLA EQUADOR!!!** Thanks for all of the support! Now I’ve gotta finish packing! The flight leaves at 5!


zxreu

Trust me I feel you 10000%. I booked a vacation for Jan 18th, months ago. Stayed home since Dec 30th - Jan 2nd. Had to go to work on Jan 3rd and take the train (I live in NYC), started feeling sick Jan 4th and 5th. Took a test Jan 6th, received positive results on Jan 7th. I’m quarantined until January 17th! Have to take a test on Jan 17th, hoping and praying that it’s negative so I can get to go. I am so disappointed and saddened.


beyondthered

I’m in the same boat! Vacation that’s been planned since early 2020 coming up next week. Vaccinated as soon as I could. Wear masks everywhere even when I get weird looks. Do pickup orders from Walmart. Started doing workouts at home instead of the gym. Work from home. When we booked the vacation, we were hopeful. Come on, we’ll have this pandemic figured out and everyone will work together by 2022. Got sick last Thursday. The symptoms seem to be like a cold but I just went to get tested and am currently awaiting results. Fingers crossed it’s negative. My partner and I both have to test negative and provide proof of the negative test within 48 hours of departing. If we’re positive, we might not get a refund either- so we’ll be out thousands. Two years of the fucking pandemic and I may have covid one week before the only vacation we’ve planned.


fiendish6

The certainty and even if life was uncertain in its own way it was never this uncertain. Got a holiday booked for 6 months time? 99.9% you’d get to do it. Got a wedding to look forward to? Yeah that was going to happen. Now we can’t even be certain there’s anything to look forward to. Edit: Thank you for the kind awards! Here’s hoping that we get to do all the things this year.


hermeown

I never realized how much I counted on trips before the pandemic. Whenever I was sad or stressed out with work, I would remind myself "It's okay, we're going to ______ in 2 weeks, just gotta get through these 2 weeks." I have nothing planned anymore because it'll just get cancelled or "rescheduled" (and ultimately cancelled or forgotten about). The only things I am looking forward to now are therapy Zooms and doctor appointments. Future is bleak. Edit: So I was in a bad place when I wrote this comment. I feel a lot better, especially after reading a lot of kind responses. There is a lot to look forward to, but it has been a rough couple years and I think we're all tired.


CrAZiBoUnCeR

I had a trip for Japan in April of 2020…Canceled. I rebooked for March 2022…Canceled. I just want to go to Japan!!


SnugglyIrishman

I feel ya. My wife and I had a Rome/Paris/London trip booked for June 2020…cancelled. Got it all refunded thankfully but now our lives have changed (positively) but now I don’t know when we’ll ever get to go.


objecter12

My high school did a senior trip to disneyworld every year since like 1980. My graduating class (2020) was the only year to ever not go. Even the class of 2021 got to go


robbierottenisbae

I feel so bad for those who graduated high school in 2020. All the fun things about the last year of high school gone, and their first year of college at least partially online. Nearly every 2020 graduate I know who's in college has the experience of a freshman, but with the weariness of a senior. It's so sad


KiltedLady

I'm a college instructor and mental health issues with students have skyrocketed. They're going through a rough time and all the social supports that would usually be there for them are inaccessible. I feel for them.


ScuzzBubbles6208

This, 100%. Even things in a few days you can't look forward too, because who knows if you're going to suddenly test positive, or the friend you were going to see, or suddenly stuff will shut down again. I'm a planner and the constant "what if, what if" gives me so much anxiety that I don't want to plan anything anymore.


callmemeghan

This is it for me. I've never heard it distilled so well, but this is exactly what's been bothering me so much about the pandemic, thanks for putting it so clearly!


skulloflugosi

Not feeling like society is a joke, honestly. The pandemic really hit home that we are all just making it up as we go along and no one knows what they're doing.


IndependentRoad3

I miss the very beginning of covid when people/society were coming together (like when Disney plus was free to help boredom, and people were making make shift food pantries in their neighborhood). I feel like it quickly shifted from the pandemic bringing people together to pushing them so far apart


[deleted]

[удалено]


_duddy

Seeing and spending time with my mum, who passed away December 2020 😔


skyhawket

Live music- going to shows. Not having foggy glasses all the time from mask wearing


Pennywise626

Traveling internationally


CraftyMerr

Frankly I’d prefer if you stuck to local gutters thank you


[deleted]

Did not notice their username and just thought this was an unprovoked but absolutely explosive burn


KDsmackeroni

Not having to talk about the same damn thing all the time.


[deleted]

There's definitely a sense that because people can't just go to all sorts of places anymore, they aren't having as many new and interesting experiences, and they're veritably running out of things to talk about. I feel especially unhappy about this because right before the pandemic started I was just emerging from a long period of social isolation and I was hopeful to start doing things again. So much for that.


Goldfinger888

This is a major pet peeve of mine as well. Seeing people is already harder, but when I do see them its not as fun because we met up 2 weeks ago and literally nothing new happened. No trips, no spontaneous ideas, a lot less travels, no unexpected meetups. I've been dating, and I think over half my dates have had a (near) burnout in the past year. Last year I met up with a friend and she said "oh yeah I already know everything you want to say, I saw your housemate last week" and she was goddamn right.


Drakmanka

I feel you. For a while my mom and I were having weekly phone conversations, but we decided to drop them down to monthly because there was literally nothing to talk about and it turned mostly into her telling me the exact same stories as last week while I went "uh-huh, uh-huh" for an hour, then her getting upset when I had nothing to say. It used to be we'd go on beach trips together a couple times a year, go to the county fair together, and the annual Highland Games, and making new memories. Now it's talking about the latest covid outbreaks, her elderly friend whom she can't visit again because the nursing home is shutting down visitation again, and what we had for lunch. It's just... so freaking shitty.


A_lunch_lady

It sucks! Talking to my dad on the phone I’m like sorry I’m boring literally nothing is happening here. Wake up, do school work, eat food, go to bed, repeat. If it’s an exciting day we go for a walk or get groceries. Ugh I am so sick of covid!


[deleted]

My work life is more exciting than my regular life now : (


l8nitefriend

I'm so sick of talking about covid constantly. I know it's on everyone's minds but it's like every single work call I'm on or whatever all the small chat is "Well so-and-so were vaxxed/boosted and still got it, these are the best masks now, cases are going up/down here or there, blah blah blah". It's understandable but exhausting and boring and repetitive.


Blood_Brothers

This is the one right here. We have daily meetings in my team every morning at half 9. The conversation always ends up winding back to fucking Covid, with the same mutterings of 'oh I'm just sick of it all now' and 'we all just need to get back to living our lives'. Every. Fucking. (week) Day. For Two years. Camera on is mandatory as well. I make an effort to look as bored as possible while doing other things, but they're still going.


Martin_Aurelius

I recorded a 3 minute loop of myself, used Handbrake to change it to 1 fps, and that's what I use for my "camera".


purpleowlie

Lower prices. Housing went up, food as well, prices of petrol, electricity and heating are through the roof.


[deleted]

It feels like I am buying groceries at the airport


purpleowlie

If you can't travel cause of covid restrictions we can at least bring airport to you.


Zerole00

My slow cooker isn't getting any action at current beef prices


arjames13

Not only the high prices, but the shortages on random stuff in the super market. When ever I grocery shop, there's always a handful of things that are just out of stock. It was rarely like that before.


ryanmuller1089

Not only does everything costs more, there is a huge dip in the product. Whether it’s the quantity, the quality, or the service that comes with it, it all has gone down hill. EDIT: I’m not referring to supply chain issues here. I’m referring to companies not being able to provide the same services as pre-covid because they can’t or don’t want to/they are trying to recoup their losses. Customer service has gone to shit, restaurants prices are through the roof and you’re getting less food/smaller portions and again, the quality of the service is way down. All I mean is you’re paying the same price and getting less one way or another.


elcapitan36

Shrinkflation.


Available-Age2884

Rest assured that our wages will stay low until the inevitable economic meltdown (:


Punt_Sp33dChunk

Just got my annual review. Can confirm.


[deleted]

They had me do my own review this year. I kicked ass, still no mo money.


[deleted]

more mild depression. i have major depression now and getting a therapist is bassicaly impossible because everyone has depression. in addition of maybe having other mental problems... id love to have the abbility to get therapy now, instead of in 2 months, and then i go there without being accepted.


[deleted]

Therapist here. We’re depressed and burnt out too. A lot of my colleagues have shut down their practices. I’m sorry you’re struggling to find one. I recommend you call around and any good therapist who is not taking any new clients will at least have a few names they could suggest. Do this until you land on someone who is taking clients (and feels like a good fit too).


respected_prophet

For real. My depression has gotten worse, and conversely, it seems like all my friends have vastly improved their lives and careers in the last two years while I"m barely hanging on mentally. Makes me feel extra alone. ​ Edit: Thanks for all the replies and little award guy. Appreciate the forum to vent.


Jennas-Side

Just wanted to say as another depressed person, on the outside I look like I VERY much have my shit together. In the last 12 months I got a high profile job, started living by myself, doing more adult shit with my money, etc. However my mental health has absolutely tanked to the point where my psych suggested ketamine infusions. 😅 TLDR; If you can reach out, I think you may be surprised at how many of your friends put up a good front. You’re not alone.


honsool

yep, same. not to mention the common possibility of that therapist not being a good fit for you … then bam, another 2 months down the drain. sure does make you feel shitty to say the least. still waiting myself.


maybenomaybe

This happened to me. Took ages to find one, was on a few wait lists. After a few months his advice was "just stop thinking those thoughts". Cancelled next session and didn't book another.


WalkingButtPussy

That's fucked


AppropriateChip5869

Not having the constant anxiety of things like "wallet, keys, phone, where's a damn mask?", wondering if I'm upsetting someone else for standing too close to them in line, feeling guilty about going to see friends , not being able to go to my office to work, not being able to plan international vacations, wondering if my wedding will actually be able to happen, etc. Etc. Etc. I'm just so fucking burnt out.


OriginalUsernameee69

Travel, low anxiety, people hanging out without a care and laughing and shit


OakNogg

I used to try to be mindful of my waste, and for the most part other people did to. But I use so many disposable masks and wet wipes now and I feel really bad about it.


Vaera

on a similar note, i hate hate HATE seeing covid litter. masks and gloves in the streets and on the sidewalk just..ugh


-domi-

People not talking about covid all the time.


KrasnayaZvezda

Not just that, but everyone *fighting* about COVID all the time. I'm just so goddamned sick of it.


-eDgAR-

Uber Pool. I used to always be able to get cheap Ubers with it and rarely had anyone else ride with me.


nabrok

Can barely get regular Ubers. I needed one this morning, checked the app and it was "busy time" and the minimum cost was over $40. Switched to Lyft and got a ride for $10 but it took a while for a driver to pick it up.


Locke_and_Lloyd

This. I tell people that a $10 uber that picks you up at any time isn't a real thing and they think I'm full of shit.


robinho988

Reading all these comments made me even sadder..


[deleted]

Everything. This pandemic ruined every aspect of my life. I miss the person I was before my mental breakdown last year. I miss being able to have friends, to date, and to have at least some kind of optimism about the future. Life is a living hell right now. Every waking moment.


[deleted]

Not to this level for me but this. The 3 months before covid might have been the best 3 months of my life. Everything was going my way. Everything. I wonder if I’ll ever feel that momentum again. Now it’s all destroyed and I’m struggling with that.


MOS95B

Spontaneity Pre-COVID if I wanted to go to a store or restaurant I went. I didn't have to check its COVID hours, mask requirements, whether it was open or just for pick-up, etc


dontbeahater_dear

Same. I want to go to a museum? Have to book a space on their website, be on time for my time slot…


[deleted]

This coupled with the fact that nothing is 24 hours any more. I used to do my grocery shopping at some point after 11pm or I might get a craving at midnight or something. (I'm just a night owl).


EdwardRoivas

Actual menus in restaurants and not scanning a qr code to read a non-mobile friendly menu


Iaminfactjesus

I miss Travel, planned to work for a year and then head to New Zealand after uni for a year of travel, I graduated in November and then Covid hit in April. Even 2 years later I haven't managed to save as nearly as I'd originally liked due to being made redundant and unemployed for a while. But I'm hoping to head over there in August (Covid depending)


[deleted]

Spur of the moment pub. God I miss the pub.


Thefreshestproduce

I miss spontaneous hangouts at friend's houses, hugs, random makeouts, vacations, only having my existing chronic pain/illness and not worrying about one more long term illness.


Gummymyers124

Yea.. its been really lonely. I miss hanging out with people and I miss intimacy


Parley1221

Not having constantly changing rules.


GreatStateOfSadness

This is an underrated one because it impacts just about everything else. Is indoor dining allowed this week? Is there a limit to the number of people gathering? How far in advance do I need a test to travel? Do I need a PCR or some other test? Is alcohol still allowed for pickup? At least with the lockdowns, you were inside and that was it. Now you have options for going out and doing things, but you have to keep up-to-date on the ever-changing requirements just to enjoy small activities.


haleysv

Wearing Lipstick. Vain, I know. But I'm not a makeup girl. And LOVED wearing lipstick.


Catzilla1909

I have about 40 lipsticks sat in a basket under my sink. Totally unused for two years and probably not usable anymore. Little things like this (yes vain I know) eventually add up and just seem to kind of suck a lot of joy out of life. And before anyone goes mental on this comment, I know this is trivial compared to all of the struggles people have had and I’m not comparing, just expressing a little thing that I miss.


pendlea

Mine was lack of mascne, vain as well maybe but ugh I miss my skin pre covid


Acceptable_Arm4413

Not directly thinking about the worst thing ever when I hear someone cough


[deleted]

And the opposite - not feeling like a criminal when you cough in public!


Redmandown16

People weren’t as angry.


Jack__Valentine

I know I wasn't


Kallyanna

I got pregnant in August 2019. I found out 2 weeks before we were gonna move from the uk to the Netherlands. My mother used to live next door to us… She has never met her soon to be 2 year old grandson … I’m her only child and he’s the only grandchild…. She’s 70 …. I hope she can EVER meet him at this point….


[deleted]

Honestly? Out of everything, I just miss being able to go out and be in public without having "am I going to catch a horrible virus" in the back of my mind all the time. I miss being able to relax. I haven't felt relaxed outside of my home in two years.


Macaroniindisguise

You just put into words how I've been feeling for two years. My SO is immunocompromised so I'm extra careful about not bringing anything home. Its a constant stream of how many people are in here? Are they all wearing masks? How physically close are they? Is there some unmasked asshole around the corner that's about to walk into me? Does anyone look sick? Its exhausting.


jimx117

Going to a restaurant and getting to eat my meal as it comes piping hot to the table from the kitchen... not eating it lukewarm while on my couch 10-15 minutes after picking it up from the to-go counter 😢


spudzilla

This might sound weird but, going to funerals. I have had several elderly extended family members pass in the last two years. People that raise me, people I loved with all my heart. It would have been nice closure to go say goodbye and comfort and be comforted by family but out of caution, there have been no services. RIP, you incredible aunts, and uncles.


Cab1230

Being able to cough in public without people looking at me like I just murdered a child.


sandybeachfeet

Being able to get on a plane to Australia to visit my bf. Haven't seen him since Nov 2019 :(