14 Things That Were Very Popular During the Pandemic but Now Are Pretty Much Dead

December 5, 2023

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The COVID-19 pandemic brought much stress, fear, loneliness, and anxiety. It forced everyone to take necessary measures to stay safe, which included adopting a “new,” normal way of living. Social distancing and carrying sanitizers became the norm, and these were just two of the 14 things that became popular but are now fading out.

Not Being Allowed to Come To Work Sick

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Employees needed to stay home when sick during COVID. Sadly, this didn’t last long, as employers expect people to report to work when sick.

“You’d think COVID would’ve helped society relearn that being sick is being sick. Nope. Now, we’re back to ‘sure you have a contagious illness and feel like complete garbage, but there’s no fever, so come to work,'” explains a poster.

No Traffic

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COVID reduced traffic on the roads, a phenomenon that excited many drivers. Even the airports had few bookings, causing passengers to travel on near-empty flights. The traffic is now worse than pre-Covid, whereas the airports are overbooked, the lines are wild, and the gates are slammed.

Zoom Trivia Nights With Your Friends

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People also recall how fun it was to kill time with Zoom trivia nights. Now, they are back to their usual routines and have forgotten all about them.

Carry Out Cocktails

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“Carry-out cocktails got turned into a permanent law where I live. It’s nice, but I don’t get them that often anymore,” shares a user. Lately, most places require you to make them at home or drink them at the bar.

Little Bottles of Hand Sanitizer Everywhere

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If only this routine stayed for longer as it prevented the spread of germs. Businesses provided hand sanitizers for their clients, whereas people carried their own. Now, store sanitizer bottles are empty, and no one cares to fill them up.

Cheering for Frontline Workers at 7PM

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Also gone is the fond memory of cheering for frontline workers at 7pm while staying home. Sadly, some frontline workers don’t reminisce about this gesture.

One says, “We went from nobodies to heroes and then back to nobodies. I remember corporate sending us emails, telling us how we were doing such an essential job and that they were proud of us, which was such lip service because as soon as it wasn’t a fad anymore, those emails stopped.”

Adopting Pets

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People also adopted pets for companionship. However, when the lockdown was lifted and normal routines resumed, many abandoned their pets, increasing the number of strays in animal shelters.

Fistfights Over Toilet Paper

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Many are happy that the hysterical toilet paper fistfights are dead. However, some users mention this is usually their norm during winter or when there’s an impending tropical storm or hurricane.

Making Bread

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Making bread was popular during the pandemic because people had a lot of free time on their hands. Now, they are back to getting it from the store.

Home Gyms

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People also set up home gyms because they couldn’t access their local ones. Most people are now selling their equipment because they no longer use them.

Social Distancing

“People stayed away from me in the stores. Now, they’re back to breathing on my neck while in line because they don’t believe in personal space,” complains a poster.

Gardening

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Some people took up gardening as a hobby only to drop it post-Covid.

Concept of “Second Coffee”

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The lockdown also allowed people to enjoy a second cup of coffee because they weren’t rushing to leave home for work. Sadly, this routine has faded.

Supporting Small Businesses

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Also, many people supported local businesses during COVID-19, only to go back to shopping at Target, Walmart, and other big stores after the pandemic.

Source: Reddit
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