(Image credit: Getty Images)
The standard pandemic writing disclaimers hold – millions of lives were lost and being grieved. Harsh restrictions were imposed and as the world grappled with lockdowns, we adopted a ‘new normal’ that came with embracing all sorts of virtual spaces. Gone were the days of spontaneous gatherings, crowded parties, and carefree hugs. Paying heartfelt tributes to walking under the sun or sitting around lazily with friends, I however, sat in despair all day on the internet.
As much as we were locked away in our rooms, we were not alone in journeying into the digital shift with the rest of the world. Mindless scrolling and tweeting eased feelings of hopelessness. People were a click away through video calls. But the record of those crazy times includes millions of tiny personal moments lost somewhere. Because, how much could video calls even cover up and completely replace intimate and comfortable shared spaces?
Everyone joined the party of Zoom call screenshots. The mundane adventures of work-from-home meetings and online classes flooded social media. We didn’t have a choice; who would've thought that our couches and dining tables would become our new cubicle desks? The absence of physical touch, the spontaneity of face-to-face conversations, and the shared experiences of being in the same physical space left a void in our lives. The pandemic really shook things up on a personal level, and I could find myself at a crossroads with severe Zoom fatigue.
It turned out that the phone in my hand couldn’t meet every yearning. Maybe seeing faces on a screen lacks as much as it replaces. Friends and family were reduced to boxes on video calls, with my own face staring back at me from a tiny box in the corner of the screen. Banana bread and Dalgona coffees were being photographed rather than shared. Among Us and Netflix watch parties became the go-to for shared spaces. But somehow, everything was scheduled, with a growing need to be seen and heard. It was impossible not to get sucked into moments of performative behavior.
We’ve spent years embracing virtual social spaces, and while digital connectivity is genuinely miraculous, life can’t be flattened onto a single screen. The pandemic taught us that while we can adapt to new ways of connecting, the simple joys of physical presence and the warmth of a hug are normally taken for granted as daily possibilities. And I’m so glad to go back to unmasked and unacclaimed moments of socializing that can only unfold in shared spaces. Cheers to a newfound appreciation for unhinged, unscheduled, and in-person togetherness that were simply not realized before!
Comments