A compilation of observations on how daily life has changed since the pandemic, covering topics from pricing and customer service to travel and social behavior.
20 Normal Things That Have Never Felt The Same Since The Pandemic , And IDK About You, But I've Experienced Every Single One, and it sparked a conversation wherein people shared even more examples. They were so relatable, I just had to share.
So, here are some of the best:"I did notice a lot of 'shrinkflation,' as in portions stayed the same or were slightly smaller while the price was going up. That was at many restaurants near me.""Also, after having COVID, salty things didn’t taste as salty, so I found myself adding more salt than before, lol.""I really dislike that the higher prices just stayed high. It established a precedent rather than being treated as a temporary increase. In reality, we all had to make decisions about how to afford necessities." "One huge plus for me is being able to work remotely. I am a writer and do not need to be in an office to do my job, but being able to work from home gives me and my team the opportunity to have more time at home and with family. Many coworkers mentioned they don't have one- to two-hour daily commutes anymore.""I know it isn't true for everyone, but my workplace really enjoys and sees benefits to working remotely. However, for people who prefer an office environment, I believe it should be an option. I feel like offices that offer flexible work locations offer the best of both worlds and ultimately retain employees longer since the work can be adapted to their working style, rather than the other way around." "I miss what it was like going to the movies. Before the pandemic, there were lots of choices even in a small city. There were ads, so you were looking forward to something coming to the theater. Now it's all kids' movies or based on comic books/graphic novels. Where did all the good movies go? Prices are wild.""Customer service in restaurants. Food delivery apps have ruined restaurants because that is now the priority. If you try to have a sit-down meal in a restaurant that also does food delivery, prepare to wait.""I can't believe no one mentioned flying! Flying is horrendous. Not the staff, not the security, not the people who get you there and back, but the other passengers!""My lord, the rudeness is so exponentially worse every time we have to even walk into an airport. These people have no idea how to behave around others, and they are so rude; I can hardly believe it! Last flight was from New Orleans to Detroit, and this mid-50s man was in line in front of us, and the 30s-ish man in front almost put hands on him for standing too close to him! The audacity to talk to another human being like that is so mind-blowing. Then, of course, the person sitting next to us was shaking his leg the entire time while his arm and leg were in my space…help us all!""The pandemic played perfectly into the hands of businesses who desperately wanted to hasten the demise of cash for their own convenience. By creating and promoting largely unproven stories about the virus living on banknotes, they were able to try and 'justify' not taking cash.""It backfired badly on one shop I used to visit when they would prioritize non-cash sales over cash sales, citing the above nonsense. I pointed out to the owner that his theory was unproven and asked him, was there an equal risk of:b) Me taking it off the shelf with my COVID?d) Me taking a banknote out of my wallet that had been there in darkened isolation for about 48 hours?"People opting for speakerphone instead of keeping their conversation to themselves by holding the phone to their head or using ear buds/headphones. I genuinely don't understand.""It's so rude to the people around you who are now forced to be a part of your conversation, especially in an enclosed space like a restaurant or a store. And the sound quality on both ends is terrible! The other day, I watched a lady walking down the busiest street in town, shouting at her phone because it was on speaker, and the other person couldn't hear her. Because she was on a busy street using speakerphone. This 'main character energy' that has emerged over the last few years is just a fancy term for wildly self-centered and antisocial, in that people don't give a shit about anyone else.""24-hour stores and late-night restaurants. Before the pandemic, I had the option AND an extensive selection of fine dining, fast food, OR grocery shopping after a late night at the office. Now I have three shitty dining options and a single grocery store 30 minutes away.""Actually, I like people staying four to six feet back of me in a checkout line instead of ramming their shopping cart into my legs, like the morons did pre-COVID.""Prescription medication scarcity. Sure, there was talk about shortages regarding ADHD medication prior to the pandemic, but since Rite Aid went bankrupt, thanks in part to COVID, I'm now waiting on everything I'm prescribed, from perimenopausal hormones to autoimmune disease management to anti-anxiety medicine. And it's not a few days — it now takes weeks to fill prescriptions I've been on for years, and the withdrawals range from brain fog to physical pain. Not great.""I miss snow days. I work in the office as much as possible and generally only work from home when I have training to do or a day with a lot of meetings . This is by choice, because I am much more comfortable and productive in the office. Everyone else on my team is remote, and I really miss the day-to-day interaction. Regarding the snow days: we typically have closings of our physical locations several times a year due to inclement weather. That used to be extra time off. Now we are expected to work from home instead." "Why is everything done with a link or QR code? You can't pay cash anywhere, either. Even when you are in a store or place of business, they send you something to do yourself online.""Folks don't want to work with the public because so many people have just turned into huge bullies. I'm in customer service and will move heaven and Earth for someone that treats me like a human being. Unfortunately, that's rare.""Phones recording in theaters. I won't go to live theater, like plays, ballets, other live performances, or movie theaters anymore because every other person has their phone out.""If they aren't texting and talking at full volume to the person next to them, they are recording the film/performance, which is almost always illegal and so wildly inconsiderate. I can’t focus on the thing I paid money to watch and enjoy when 20 people in front of me are holding their screens on full brightness in my eyeline just so they can post something to social media later. And attendants won't do anything, probably in part because people are so mean and sometimes dangerous when confronted about being an absolute d*ck. I used to love going to the movies and watching live performances, but I can't go anymore because I get so angry when the experience is ruined."If you've experienced any of these, or if you have an example of your own to share, I'd love to hear about it down in the comments. Or, if you want to write in but prefer to stay anonymous, you can use the anonymous form below! Who knows — your answer could be included in a future BuzzFeed article.
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