As many of our lives were significantly impacted due to the global health crisis, we learned the limits of our tolerance and impatience.
In self-isolation, with seemingly endless amounts of time contemplating our existence, we learned a lot about our capabilities as well.
We can master new technology when forced to adapt to a new normal by using Zoom. Also, it turns many of us are not that horrible in the kitchen when we're having to save money and make our own meals.
Curious to hear about what the last year and a half has taught us, Redditor thirstylearning asked:
"What’s surprised you the most about the pandemic?"
People touched on behaviors brought on by the pandemic.
Stocking Up
"People buying 10 years worth of toilet paper."
– Lucas2099
Reverting
"How easy it is to return to old habits when there's nothing else to do :'("
– BagleFart
Losing All Good Progress
"Before the pandemic, I quit weed after 8 or 7 years of smoking every day. I was pretty proud of myself for not touching it for about 6 months until the pandemic hit and we had to start working from home."
"I was living alone, so I said 'f'k it, might as well get high...'"
– RAmbler-2224
Excuses We Come Up With
"Or how much more free time doesn't actually mean people would be productive with their time. It was very common to hear 'I would love to do X but I just don't have the time'. Covid showed that it wasn't the lack of time preventing people from doing things."
– RealLameUserName
The following are observations of direct impacts of the pandemic.
Working From Home
"WFH or hybrid work arrangements were always a possibility, my agency is just full of a**holes."
– CatLady1018
"Not to mention how f'king quickly they could have been implemented all along. The sheer amount of workplaces that managed to set up WFH in literally a week or less was truly a sight to behold."
– Islander255
Eerie Silence
"How weirdly quiet it was at first. Living in a city of half a million people it was so insanely quiet."
– DracoImortalus313
"Makes you realize how much noise cars really make in aggregate."
– sharksnack3264
Improved Environment
"In general how clean skies and waters got when we stopped polluting as much. It's a shame we couldn't find a way to make that more permanent."
– meekamunz
People talked about their mental health in the midst of the pandemic.
Our Limitations
"No matter how strong you feel, everyone has a breaking point from stress."
– NicoModafinil
Different Breaking Points For Different People
"How crazy amounts of stress impacts people. I've heard of many people becoming socially anxious, depressed and others gaining a new perspective on life."
"Somehow this whole experience helped me overcome a lot of my issues, seek help, and ultimately I feel like a much stronger person. This sh*t is still absolutely awful though."
– Vladimir_Poontang24
Slammed By Anxiety And Depression
"Man, I thought I was doing ok. I thought I was taking it all in stride and handling it. But the second people started going out in public again and being social again, depression and anxiety hit me like a ton of bricks."
"Staying in lockdown removed any and all frame of reference. I didn't realize I was sinking until I was around people again and suddenly I was not ok."
"EDIT: If you're feeling this way and you don't know what to do, please talk to a therapist. If you're worried about the money talk to them about it. Lots of therapists can and will adjust their price to fit you. It was daunting at first and I didn't want to do it, but it helps. It's not a magic fix that will make you better tomorrow, but for me it felt like I finally stopped sinking."
– LotusFlare
Pushed To The Brink
"I figured out I had a lot of unresolved anger issues that boiled to the surface last year, pushing me to make the first step and seek therapy."
"Yay, Covid I guess?"
– caligaris_cabinet
What surprised me most about the pandemic was how far I was able to go in improving my mental and physical health.
After a period of depression and being sedentary, I forced myself to occupy my time learning how to cook healthier and doing at-home, body-weight-only workouts since gyms were closed.
Both of these were achieved by watching a slew of YouTube videos. Free education, right from my home.
I've never felt more physically and emotionally better. But it took me to almost hit bottom to realize I had to force myself from the doldrums of self-isolation.
Our will is an amazing thing. It can make us pull ourselves up. We just have to want it.
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