Remember those early days of the pandemic when the world came screeching to a halt? Suddenly, our calendars were cleared, and we had all the time in the world — as if, out of nowhere, a superior entity decided to press “pause” without bothering to tell us. In a matter of weeks, we became masters of sourdough bread, took up the most random hobbies, and became way too obsessed with The Office. But amidst all the Netflix binges and loungewear, we also found ourselves appreciating the commute-free life, working from home, spending more time with our dear ones, and loving not feeling forced to hang out when we didn’t feel up to it. In a certain way, lockdown let us taste a different kind of freedom, made of simpler things and the joys of home sweet home.
But now, as the world has returned to its pre-pandemic ways, it’s hard not to feel a bit nostalgic for the slower pace of quarantine life. If you’re also missing lockdown, fear not, for you’re not alone in your longing!
We happen to have a soft spot for Reddit’s fascinating insights and stumbled upon a thread where folks spilled the beans on what they miss the most from the Covid lockdown days. Whether it was the chance to finally tackle that pile of unread books, gasoline’s ridiculously low prices, or not feeling guilty for never leaving home, the things people pointed out are pretty darn relatable. With almost 15,000 comments, it’s clear that many miss the little things that the pandemic lockdown brought. We picked the top replies and have shared them with you down below!
Looking back, we can appreciate the joy of a quiet afternoon, the beauty of working from home, or the simple pleasure of a phone call with a friend. We’re not saying we should all get locked back in our homes as before, but maybe we can take a breath and remember the things we enjoyed about the quarantine. And hey, if that means keeping the sweatpants trend going for a little while longer, then so be it. Share your experiences in the comments below, and let us know what you miss most from lockdown!
#1
Consistent-Finger-18 said:
"Having the excuse to not go anywhere."
"Having the excuse to not go anywhere."
mikhela replied:
"We lived in an introvert's world for a blissful year."
"We lived in an introvert's world for a blissful year."
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44points
#2
"It was the rare break from the spinning hamster wheel we might never get again."
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38points
#3
TiredLumberJack88 said:
"The empty roads. MY GOD THE EMPTY ROADS."
"The empty roads. MY GOD THE EMPTY ROADS."
Unknown replied:
"Don’t forget the cheap gas. Driving was the best during the lockdown."
"Don’t forget the cheap gas. Driving was the best during the lockdown."
Juswantedtono replied:
"It was the best month to be an Uber eats driver. Empty streets, cheap gas, tons of orders at every restaurant, generous tips, and people started requesting us to drop off their food at the door rather than wait for them to answer. Think I averaged $40/hour that month."
"It was the best month to be an Uber eats driver. Empty streets, cheap gas, tons of orders at every restaurant, generous tips, and people started requesting us to drop off their food at the door rather than wait for them to answer. Think I averaged $40/hour that month."
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36points
#4
witdim said:
"Social distancing."
"Social distancing."
hellobeau replied:
"You would love Finland. There’s a joke that goes, Now that the mandatory 6-feet distancing has been lifted, Finns can go back to being 16 feet apart from each other."
"You would love Finland. There’s a joke that goes, Now that the mandatory 6-feet distancing has been lifted, Finns can go back to being 16 feet apart from each other."
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34points
#5
HertogJanVanBrabant said:
"The silence, especially in the first days when the lockdown started. The whole world around me got silent. No more cars, no machines in the distance, no airplanes flying above. Just the sound of nature and a gentle breeze. I loved it."
"The silence, especially in the first days when the lockdown started. The whole world around me got silent. No more cars, no machines in the distance, no airplanes flying above. Just the sound of nature and a gentle breeze. I loved it."
TimReavesPhotography replied:
"In July 2020, it dawned on me that there were practically no airplanes in the sky. I ventured out to get a night-sky shot I’d been dreaming about."
"In July 2020, it dawned on me that there were practically no airplanes in the sky. I ventured out to get a night-sky shot I’d been dreaming about."
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32points
#6
"The animals coming back out. Makes you really think about how human activity has impacted wildlife."
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31points
#7
"It was the healthiest I’ve ever been, it was the wealthiest I’ve ever been, it was the happiest I’ve ever been, it was the most freedom I’ve ever enjoyed.
It was much easier to do my job working from home, I saved a fortune on gas, I got ample sleep, I enjoyed hobbies, and started new ones. My social life actually improved because living in a duplex, my closest friends lived in the other unit and also worked from home, so we were free to hang out at will, never having to worry about or be disappointed by our schedules or the hassle of making arrangements. My girlfriend at the time stayed with me for lockdown, never left, and now we’re getting married.
I know many, many people had a tough time and I know I had a very privileged lockdown experience, but I feel like it is my life’s ambition to return to some form of the sweet sweet awesomeness of lockdown."
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29points
#8
Middle_Weakness_8005 said:
"The background noises being switched off - no traffic, no planes in the sky, no horns blaring.
"The background noises being switched off - no traffic, no planes in the sky, no horns blaring.
Also the sense of community it brought with neighbors checking in on each other and if anyone needed anything."
WredditSmark replied:
"In my town, all the restaurants literally turned into like grocery stores where you could get cooked food but also things like TP, oil, flour, raw chicken, raw burgers, etc."
"In my town, all the restaurants literally turned into like grocery stores where you could get cooked food but also things like TP, oil, flour, raw chicken, raw burgers, etc."
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25points
#9
"My german shepherd boy, Beorn. Died almost 2 years ago. Got to spend all day every day with him in 2020."
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25points
#10
"Stores cleaning and sanitizing surfaces. Also, people not being on top of you when you check out."
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25points
#11
"Honestly, when it all started and we were all making bread and didn't really know what was going to happen, I hate to admit it, but It was kind of exciting."
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23points
#12
"Nothing. Was a Nurse. Got free McDonald's, got free Subway, and got Free Gas at times just for being in scrubs. Roads were empty, Lines in stores were dead, and everything was faster. But I spent 15+ hour shifts watching mother's Speak over Tablets to their children their final words. I saw the elderly essentially choke to death. I saw the young fall lower than dirt and never recover.
My mama bear died, and nurses around me became patients or quit. I became a victim because no maskers flooded our hospitals FOUGHT US CARING FOR THEM. Then I failed out and left so many people to die.
Nothing.... nothing will make the nightmares of this disease stop for me. I will die remembering the loss and the worst humanity has to offer."
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23points
#14
"Those videos of skateboarders taking over freeways in LA. I don't know why but they just tingled my brain in such a satisfying way."
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22points
#15
"Not spending money and not having to please anyone's social needs. Basically embracing my hermit life."
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22points
#16
"It was okay to be struggling mentally, now it just feels like everyone expects you to just shake it off and go on as if nothing happened. That and I miss people actually giving a s**t about sanitation and not spreading the virus. Now that the pandemic is “over” I’m seeing people who are obviously sick walking around without a mask and coughing without covering their mouths."
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20points
#17
"Working as a bar manager at the time, I got the whole summer off and got paid more than my normal wage. Before I hear any snark, I’ve never been unemployed so as far as I see it, I’ve been paying my taxes for 20 years, and I got to cash in on it.
I found new hobbies, got sober, spent quality time with my partner, expanded my garden, spent a lot of time in an adult-sized kiddie pool, learned to be a better cook, and thus in a post-pandemic world, save a lot of money by cooking fancy meals at home. It was honestly one of the best summers in my life."
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20points
#18
"Just… rest, honestly. It was the first time in a lot of people’s lives that they weren’t expected to work or do anything. Just live. It was nice."
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19points
#20
"Seeing the multiple types of birds that decided to make our garden their home due to less human traffic. They disappeared once everything started back up again."
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19points