10 Things I will Never Take for Granted After Quarantine
From the desk of: Courtney DeAngelis
“Someday we will look back on this moment and it will forever remind us to never take the little things for granted. It will remind us to hug with all our hearts, to pause, to appreciate holding someone’s hand, and to live in the moments that we are surrounded by others.” -Laura Jones
This quote resonated with me and really made me think: What are some things that I miss so much and that I hope to never take for granted after this? There are so many people, places, and activities that I once assumed would remain the same forever. However, during this time I find myself missing even the smallest of things. Here are a few of the things I have promised myself to not take for granted once life is back to normal, and more importantly what I am doing during Quarantine to make up for it.
Going out to eat and getting drinks with family and friends. Whether we enjoy a mid-week “girls night” outing or just seeing everyone out celebrating the weekend on a Friday night, I think we all can say we miss socializing at bars and restaurants!
Instead, I have been cooking much more than usual, which has been really fun. Right before this started my parents and I started getting Hello Fresh and it has been perfect during this time!
Hosting friends. I often host friends at my house, whether it’s for a sporting event on TV, or just a party to enjoy ourselves. I miss hosting everyone and getting creative in the kitchen to cook for my friends.
Rather than gathering at my house, my friends and I have been having Zoom calls at least twice a week to catch up and have a virtual ‘happy hour.’
Movie/Game nights. My friends and I have a movie night or game night and we all go to one house, make popcorn and enjoy a good movie or play some fun games like Catan, Pictionary or heads up.
These days, I’m lucky to not be alone during this, so my parents and I play a game or watch a movie almost every day. I have also been playing games on my phone with my friends through the HouseParty App or other helpful gaming apps! They’ve been a great way to stay connected.
Concerts and Festivals. This is something that is affecting many people around me. Almost all of us have been disappointed by something being cancelled, or the uncertainty about some of our favorite events that are planned this summer. I miss live music and the energy of concerts and festivals.
Though I can’t attend a concert, I have been tuning in to all of the “at home” concerts. There are so many virtual live concerts happening right now, from the St. Patrick’s Day’s Dropkick Murphys performance, Alicia Keys PayitForward performance, or smaller local artists that I love like Aldous Collins. When there is a virtual concert I am there!
Traveling, both near and far. I am the kind of person that has trips planned constantly. Whether I am going to Connecticut/Vermont to visit family in another state, or somewhere far away like London, I will never take for granted even the smallest of trips from here on out.
Instead of traveling, I am able to connect with people that mean the most to me through Facetime calls. I’ve connected with my family from all over the world that I don’t typically see like my family in Georgia, California and Japan! And reconnecting with friends in China, France and Italy. Although I can’t visit these people and explore where they are, I get to connect with them for free virtually!
Seeing my sisters and nieces that live far away. Although I’m lucky to be spending this quarantine with my parents, I have a lot of family that lives out of state. My niece who recently turned one is now walking and I can’t wait to witness it in person!
During times like this, we are so lucky to have technology. I get to see my one-year old niece walking, and my seven-year-old niece’s videos sending her best wishes that we are all staying safe and healthy. I can’t wait to see them in person, but I have loved being able to stay connected.
Backyard barbeques. Now that the weather is getting nice it is making me really miss going to friends’ houses and having a barbeque with some corn-hole and volleyball games.
Though I can’t be with my friends and family in the backyard, I have still been enjoying the weather as best I can by going on walks.
Going shopping in store. I never thought I’d miss the hustle and bustle of crowded shopping malls. I can’t wait to actually try clothes on before purchasing, and the excitement of finding a bargain.
For now, I am still enjoying online shopping. I have made lists of stores I want to go to and will be ready for my next shopping spree!
Grocery Stores. I miss going into Grocery stores with no lines to enter and no masks covering our faces. I’ve realized I’ve taken for granted the ability to run in and grab one thing rather than plan out the bi-weekly grocery trip.
Again, Using HelloFresh has been so nice and helpful so we can avoid the grocery stores and have all our fresh ingredients to cook a delicious meal!
Going to the movies. Though I’m definitely caught up on movies via Netflix/On-demand, I miss going to the movie theater on $5 Tuesdays with friends to see new movies out. The popcorn at my house will never compare to movie theater popcorn.
Netflix HouseParty came out just at the perfect time - watching movies with people online, but within our own homes, is such a cool feature!
With everything happening, it has given many people this time to reflect and catch up on work, sleep, and their favorite TV shows. Though I miss close contact with my friends and family, this time has given me the ability to connect with family in different ways. I will never again take for granted the items listed above, however there are aspects of this quarantine that I am going to miss as well. I have had so much fun participating in HouseParty/Zoom calls with family both near and far. If anything, I have virtually connected with far-away family members more during this time than I have in years. My family is very big so to be able to see people on a screen that, for some I haven’t seen in years, is a really great way to gather together virtually.
This quarantine has been a crazy ride for everyone, but I am lucky to have so many wonderful people, places, and activities to miss. I hope to never take these things for granted in the future, but have been staying positive and making the most of my time at home!