Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share The Things They Miss That Disappeared During The Pandemic

The World Theatre's placard, which reads, "The World is Temporarily Closed"
Photo by Edwin Hooper on Unsplash

Reddit user jdward01 asked: 'What do you miss that disappeared during the pandemic?'

There's no question that the pandemic changed the world, and as the pandemic grew from a month-long hiatus to a three-year one, it's disconcerting to think of how much things have changed.

For some, basic conveniences, entertainment, and those things we used to take for granted are the things they still miss the most.


Redditor jdward01 asked:

"What do you miss that disappeared during the pandemic?"

Driving Etiquette

"Driving really seems to have gotten worse, hasn’t it? I can’t figure it out."

- limedifficult

"Being passed in the turn lane on a three-lane road. Never in my life saw it before the pandemic. Then it turned into once every several weeks."

"Also, the police completely stopped doing anything about basic laws. Having the person in front of you slam on their brakes and realize they have no brake lights is a blast."

"Also, license plates were ‘optional’ around here until very very recently. But I still can’t remember the last time I saw a police officer pulling over speeders on the highway."

- clocks212

Basic Hope

"My belief that most people are reasonable and compassionate."

- Waughoo81

Good Quality Meals

"24-hour stores and food that had better quality."

"It seems like all food has gone down in quality. Fast food, sit-down restaurants, take out, and grocery stores."

- ZenoSalts

"I took my daughter to Applebee's yesterday (her pick) and I'm not saying their food was ever fantastic, but there was a very noticeable difference in the food from even the past year or two. I've noticed this in several restaurants lately. It's getting harder and harder to find decent restaurant food anymore."

"It sucks because I hate cooking, lol (laughing out loud)."

- anonymousloser000

Basic Kindness

"General friendliness. People care less about each other than they used to."

- Gabrilaellie85

Social Etiquette

"Civility. I mean, it wasn't great to begin with, but post-pandemic, no one seems to know how to act in public anymore."

- kopackistan

Ability to Socialize

"My social skills."

- FreeStudios

"Seriously. I found myself extremely awkward as things started opening up."

- Old_Snow3086

"And social stamina! I went to a baby shower for two and a half hours and to a department store for like an hour yesterday. Came home SO exhausted that I took a nap for an hour. Then a few hours later I went to bed and slept THIRTEEN HOURS STRAIGHT. Like what the f**k?"

- kat_the_houseplant

Medical Work

"I miss when I enjoyed my job, I'm sure I'm not the only one, but the pandemic really changed the way my hospital runs and not for the better. All the good staff who could jumped ship, and if they replace them at all, it's with a traveler or a warm body, and our quality of care has certainly suffered."

"Not to mention, the organization I work for is buying up all sorts of s**t but when we need vital equipment, we are told how there is no money for it. Even more insulting is this stupid f**king robot they bought that's sole purpose is to deliver things between departments. I'm pretty close to quitting healthcare forever at this point."

"Normally I don't entertain when people s**t on America, but for real as someone on the inside our healthcare system is f**king appalling."

- Bootsix

"I came here to post this, it’s not really related to my hospital but just to my disillusionment with medicine in general. I used to feel proud and honored to be a physician. Now it’s just a job and a path to retirement, as early as possible. I’m burnt to a crisp and jaded beyond repair. I’m 40 years old."

- Sp4ceh0rse

Night Shifts

"S**t being open after nine o'clock. Working second shift got harder when everything is closed after."

- Barmacist

"24-hour places don't exist anymore either. Even Walmart isn't 24 hours anymore here. The only things open 24 hours are my local grocery, gas stations, and McDonald's."

- mhenderson1008

Walmart and McDonald's

"24-hour Walmart and all-day breakfast at McDonald's."

- RabidRabbiRabbit

Affordable Living

"Humans need so much STUFF and it all costs money. All this irritating need for food and toothpaste and electricity and whatnot. Why is it so expensive?"

- theyarnllama

Affordable Housing

"I had been saving to buy a house and recognized that everything was going to go bad soon so I closed on a house in June 2020. I don't know when we'll see interest rates that low again."

- TheEveryman86

"My wife and I had the same thought in summer 2020. We bought a small house for what seemed like too much money then."

"Our house is now worth 100k+ more. Good for me, but my friends who have decent jobs tried to buy like three months after us and even though they were in a near exact situation that we were in, their hopes were dashed."

"It’s been three years. They’re still looking, but their option pool is small and pretty terrible."

- UnspeakablyCrass

Loved Ones

"My grandpa."

- Yan-Ts

"Mom for me."

- No_Step_4431

Paper Menus

"Paper menus. I'm tired of scanning a QR code and dealing with terrible interfaces and slow wifi just to order a meal."

- Ariadne_on_the_Rocks

Poor Reception

"People."

"I work in a grocery store. We were deemed essential services and were forced to work. We didn't want to be called heroes, the people did to make themselves feel better. Now that the pandemic is over, the people are back to treating us like garbage again."

"F**k people."

- Wraisted

Employment

"My job... company went under. It was a love-hate relationship, but I've suffered for it."

- BigEyedThresher

The pandemic impacted everyone and with long-lasting effects. But some of the things we're left missing after the pandemic are the same things we took for granted before.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Donald Trump
Mark Mirko/Connecticut Public via Getty Images

Trump's Commencement Speech Claim That The U.S. Is 'Hot' Right Now Turns Into Hilariously Brutal Self-Own

President Donald Trump's attempt to smear the Biden administration turned into a self-own while he spoke at the commencement ceremony for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy this week.

Trump spoke as several hundred protesters gathered outside Coast Guard Academy campus in New London, Connecticut. During the nearly hour-long address to cadets and their families, he alternated between praising the graduating class of 2026 and revisiting familiar themes about what he described as the country’s recovery after a period of decline.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @tiktoktimmay8's TikTok video
@tiktoktimmay8/TikTok

Dad Brutally Reviews Perfumes During Daughter's Birthday Party At Ulta In Hilarious Viral TikTok

For those who did not know, having a birthday party at Ulta Beauty is now a possibility. Complete with skincare sessions, mini-makeovers, discounts, and goodie bags, it's kind of perfect for teens and tweens who are enthusiastic about makeup and skincare.

But while the birthday party is going on, what is a bored parent to do?

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @dadgummit10's TikTok video
@dadgummit10/TikTok

Guy Goes Viral After Bombing Job Interview With Hilarious Answer To 'What's Your Weakness?'—And Oof

Let's face it: every single one of us has flopped at least one job interview. Whether we knew in the moment that it wasn't going well, or it only hit us later how spectacularly we'd missed the mark, we've all been there.

But at least most of us can say that we didn't freeze up and start spouting facts about our favorite snack.

Keep ReadingShow less
Photographer taking photos of newlyweds
Erstudiostok/Getty Images

Couple's Engagement Photo Goes Viral For Its Unintentional Optical Illusion—And We Can't Stop Laughing

When two people are planning to get married, there are countless details to consider, often to create an incredibly beautiful and aesthetic wedding.

One detail that most couples take very seriously is the photographer who will take the wedding photos and help create an engagement announcement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Redditor imfrom_mars_'s photo of a textbook that includes a ChatGPT prompt
u/imfrom_mars_/Reddit

ChatGPT Response Appears To Make It Into School Textbook—And We're Doomed

Students are being actively discouraged from using ChatGPT and other AI-generation tools, as they are expected to learn their educational concepts and be able to put them into practice. They are also not supposed to use these tools while writing papers or during at-home tests.

Given how expensive grade school and college textbooks are, it is reasonable that educational writers and content professionals should be held to the same standards. Wouldn't it make sense for them to use the knowledge of their field, rather than what's been fed into ChatGPT, to make a textbook a worthwhile purchase for students?

Keep ReadingShow less