While we already allow ourselves to live more freely knowing that the pandemic is more or less controlled, we can still feel its effects. Even though this phenomenon hit us differently, it still made an impact on each and every one of us. While some lost their loved ones, were laid off, or had to say goodbye to their dreams, others might’ve been lucky to get out of it with less painful consequences. Having this in mind, Reddit user u/blancheneige37 asked others online “What did the pandemic ruin more than we realize?” The question that received more than 42k upvotes encouraged people to share their insights on what changed during the pandemic and hasn’t come back to its previous state.
Soon Reddit users started sharing what they’d noticed since the beginning of Covid-19, revealing how much our relationships with one another have changed and how kids and youth were robbed of getting an opportunity to socialize and now might struggle with their emotions and anxiety. Others also noticed that the way they see money has changed as now many things are much more expensive, and even having a takeout is considered a luxury. Not to mention the number of rising businesses that had to be closed due to the inability to adapt to this sudden change. What are some of the things that you have noticed to be different than before? Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below!
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#1
It ruined me on traffic, for one glorious year, as an "essential worker" I had the roads almost entirely to myself, it was beautiful.
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240points
#2
Leaving the house.
Goes to Subway - I can make a better sandwhich at home.
Goes to a nail salon - I can paint my nails better than this lady.
Goes to a hair salon - I’ve been cutting my hair solo for 2 years now, I’m a pro.
Goes to work - I can do all of this more efficiently at home.
Goes to Applebees - I can provide myself with mediocre service at home.
Goes to Walmart - I can order all of this online.
Goes to a nail salon - I can paint my nails better than this lady.
Goes to a hair salon - I’ve been cutting my hair solo for 2 years now, I’m a pro.
Goes to work - I can do all of this more efficiently at home.
Goes to Applebees - I can provide myself with mediocre service at home.
Goes to Walmart - I can order all of this online.
Why did I leave the house again…?
237points
#4
The belief that Americans are able to come together in a crisis and be willing to make sacrifices for the greater good.
We’ll never trust each other again.
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200points
#5
The health system is wrecked. Way too many nurses got burnt out and left the profession.
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194points
#6
I feel like everyone is more bitter now. Like we all saw through the sham of society. Time feels different now. Things just feel off compared to pre 2020
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181points
#7
Worker/employee relationships. A lot of people woke up to how s****y a deal we have it in the united states. Wealthiest country in the world. No guarantied sick leave, no paternal/maternal leave. We gave big business bailouts AND they still raised prices and fired workers.
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169points
#9
Family relations. Vaxxed vs antivax, mask vs no mask, covid deniers vs lockdown advocates... Fractured a lot of my family and many others.
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159points
#10
"essential" versus "non essential" employees, better known as those who HAD to show up physically in person, and those allowed to stay home. Biggest division in the workplace. Mentally it will never be the same in the workplace.
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143points
#11
Grocery Shopping at 2:00am was the best thing ever. Now I have to shop with the rest of you hooligans and it f*****g sucks.
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130points
#12
My perception on money. I worked so hard to pay off debt, save up for a new house, get promotions. Now with the rise of housing costs and inflation I feel like money is literally such a made-up thing and I have no control over anything even with all the right decisions.
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126points
#13
As a teacher, I can say that it’s definitely affected kids in a way people don’t realize. Kids who had their first year of school (or even second) during the pandemic act quite different than kids who had a normal introduction to school. Many of them seem to have fewer social skills and higher anxiety than kids from previous years.
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123points
#14
This might just be local, but where I live, a S**T ton of businesses closed. I mean, half of them were closed. Not just because of the shutdown, they were closed permanantly.
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122points
#15
Increased polarisation of people politically, socially, economically.
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115points
#16
I'm not sure if anyone else feels the same way but my perception of time hasn't really returned back to normal since then
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113points
#17
I honestly don't think the majority of Americans especially truly understand just how f****d the healthcare system is and is going to be.
Not just staff burnout, but we have nationwide backorders on some really key medications and even things like blood and albumin shortages.
There have been times that we've literally just not had the supplies available to give a blood transfusion and have had to resort to alternative treatments for things like seizures because we simply do not have the normal medications available.
We have major equipment shortages too, there were several months that we couldn't consistently get Foley catheter kits and we're having to Frankenstein things together. Currently the only a-line kits my facility has are the double port ones that we use for swanz. Bariatric beds? Good luck finding one!
Entire supply chains and productions lines have ground to a hault.
Add staff burnout, staffing shortages, increased patient loads, deceased equipment, and it's just a domino tower.
But most people?
Not a single f*****g clue.
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110points
#18
Printed menus… call me snarky but scrolling through your phone at dinner, whether with family or on a date, is s****y
108points
#19
**view on people, their hygiene, and their mental capacity.**
I started to notice that people cough and sneeze without using their hand/arm and just do it into the open, into a room or hallway full of people, directly at people, when they wear a mask they would remove the mask before sneezing or coughing into the open - all without any remorse or understanding why this would be bad or generally why it would be disgusting, no matter if it’s during a pandemic or not.
this still happens, daily I see someone doing it.
it’s mind blowing to me, absolutely mind blowing, considering what we all went through and why.
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105points
#20
the lockdowns happened during my last semester of university. I've never had an in person job, only work from home, which I realize is a blessing but also makes it feel like... idk like it's not real. I have no work friends, have never met my supervisor in person, I do all my work from my desk in my room. It feels like pretend.
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80points