When Are We Going to See People Again?

AD | I don’t know about you, but the thought of seeing people again is a bit…weird. I’m in tier 3, just for context. And I haven’t been out to eat or have drinks since March. Apparently, that was this year? It feels like 2015. Anyway, the thought of going out again just feels a little off. Even when it comes to seeing friends, other family members etc. But at the same time, I know that the majority of people are also experiencing Zoom fatigue and never want to hear the word quiz again, so what does social interaction in 2021 look like? And when are we going to see people again?

I know, I know. Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine. Honestly, that makes me nervous. I’ve seen a lot more people say they don’t want it or being critical than I’m seeing optimism and excitement. Maybe that’s just because people with complaints are more likely to vocalise them, but I’m still concerned that a large percentage of the 20 something crowd aren’t going to want it when their turn comes. And even when that does happen, even for those who do want it, we’re basically bottom of the list unless there’s an underlying condition that bumps you up a few places.  

When are we going to see people again?  

As I said, I’m not too keen on the general idea of mixing just yet. Even if we hypothetically weren’t in tier 3, and mixing was an option, it would be a case by case scenario about whether I felt fine mixing with people.  

And by case by case, I mean I’d expect a full activity report of what my friends had been up to for the last week or so. An isolation period would be ideal, of course… 

So, someone has passed the test, I’m going to see them. But even then, I’d rather only see one or two people at a time, and somewhere outdoors ideally. But as I mentioned in my at home cooking dates post, English winters aren’t exactly the ideal scenario for outdoor mixing.

  

And if I feel that way about mixing with friends and people I know well, mixing with anyone I don’t know is certainly out of the question. I’m sure some of you are rolling your eyes right now and aren’t too phased by the idea, but I’m fairly confident that a lot of you will also be in agreement with me. Your opinions on this are likely to vary whether you’re in Derbyshire dating (tier 3) or thinking about a friend date in London (tier 2, and a lot more to do) 

A virtual 2021 

I know it’s not ideal, but I think that 2021 is going to be all about virtual interaction, at least for the first half.  

And I know everyone is bored of Zoom, so here are some ideas for virtual meetings, whether that’s with a friend, family members, or on a date. I feel like I’ve seen people get a lot more creative with this sort of thing as time has gone on and we’ve been in this situation for a while, so there’s a lot more to do than a Zoom quiz.  

Alternative Zoom Activities

Watch the same movie 

This is safe, and some people may get bored. But choosing a movie or TV show to watch together is a really simple option, and it’s free. Or costs as much as your Netflix/ Prime subscription, which is still likely to be cheaper than anything you would do out of the house.  

Play a game 

You can do this one of two ways, play something online and compete against each other, or do it the old fashioned way. If you both get a board game, it feels a little bit less like everything is happening through a screen. 

Do a fun DIY 

You don’t have to be a craft genius to make this work, there are tonnes of kits available to make this sort of thing easier. And even if you do totally mess it up and fail, laughing at yourself in the process is part of what makes it fun.  

Cooking challenge 

So, I’ve done a whole post on a cooking date. But there are a few different ways you could go about this. If you make the same dish, you can see which one looks better, but you obviously can’t taste them to be sure. But you can do something Ready, Steady, Cook style. Get the same ingredients, give yourselves a set amount of time and see what you can come up with. Bonus points for whoever can get the most creative with a limited time frame.  

How are you feeling about the idea of meeting up with people again?  

Until next time, 

Sophie 

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