) How should the coronavirus pandemic change the way we live going forward?
In my opinion the coronavirus pandemic is going to change our lives in many different ways. One of the ways that it is going to change our lives is thag people are going to be able to appreciate their lives a lot more, especially when it comes to spending quiality time with family and friends. Although this generation prefers to lay low and usually likes to avoid people, we have definitely realized that human interaction is extremely crucial for our lives. According to an article in Politico.com, they stated, “A global, novel virus that keeps us contained in our homes—maybe for months—is already reorienting our relationship to government, to the outside world, even to each other.” I agree with this quote because due to the virus we are forced to be completely removed from all of our surroundings or at least minimizing it as much as possible. I agree with them saying that it is reorienting our relationships because many of us have realized the people whom we really matter to and who we only mattered to because we had to see everyday. This is a big change for us going on forward because many people are not use to the “being home” lifestyle and others might not have been ready for the drastic change of having to completely do everything online or being home.
One thing from this article that I had not had the chance to sit down and think about is what’s going to happen with traveling and restaurants? Politico.com stated, “Will nations stay closed? Will touch become taboo? What will become of restaurants?” This really stood out to me. As a person who has family outside the country this affects me, when will be the next time I get to see my mom and the rest of my family? How long will this go on for? As to touch, are people going to go back to shaking hands and hugging or are we going to say hi with our elbows? Will this be such a huge change that humans would be afraid of interactions because they don’t want to go through another pandemic? What about restaurants? Are people going to completely stop going inside of a restaurant and sticking to drive thrus? These are all questions that I don’t have answers to, but essential questions that we should be asking and receiving answers for.
With all the down sides there are also good things coming out of humans being in quarantine. Politico.com says, “But crisis moments also present opportunity: more sophisticated and flexible use of technology, less polarization, a revived appreciation for the outdoors and life’s other simple pleasures.” I completely agree with this statement because I feel like people are now trying to use technology for useful things (of course we are spending countless of hours on netflix, Disney +, and hulu) but we are using this time for research and even picking up new hobbies. We are also becoming more aware of how much we really miss the outside and simply life’s pleasure like hanging out with friends, or even going to the supermarket.
-Gigi
English 802 Spring 2020 
Yes, I agree, I am now much more eager to get out their and go to places and I like how you put a positive spin the the pandemic. Going even further maybe we’ll have a greater appreciation of our environment and larger motivation to stop climate change.
Sorry to hear that your parents are in another country, that seems very unfortunate especially now with all of the uncertainty of the future.
I like what you wrote!
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I agree with you, this virus has really affected and tested my appreciation for family and friends. This virus has really taught me to cherish the moments I have to spend with good friends because talking to them online or video chat is not the same because we can’t really physically interact with them. I miss the days when my friends and I would just go play basketball, explore nature, or just chill at someone’s house. I hope you and your family stay safe, becuase I also have family outside the country and I’m making sure they are all fine everyday and I understand how scary that can be .
Take Care ~ Nelson N
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Yo Nelson. You are very right dude. I miss playing Minecraft together in your dorm, and I miss when you guys would come in to check on Christian’s progress through his comp sci degree. We better all be on campus come late August, anything but a full return is simply not acceptable or even worth considering.
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This was a great read. You mentioned the future of restaurants. It is my hope and also my prediction that ‘Yes’ people will return to sit down restaurants, and I think they will do it in mass. I know the first thing I am going to do is go to my favorite Ramen restaurant in Chinatown, pandemic or no pandemic. I feel like at least among the younger generations, there is so much restlessness and cabin fever, that as soon as the lock downs are lifted , the flood gates will just open up. It will be like dropping a bomb on the hoover dam. Just a deluge of people rushing to first get a haircut, than go out and get whatever favorite food they’ve been deprived of for the longest two months of their lives.
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