More than three years have passed since COVID was declared a pandemic, and as of today, the World Health Organization says the global health emergency is over.
Our lives have changed in many ways. We lost friends and family, changed our habits, and followed some very strict rules.
As the emergency ends, we’re reflecting on some of the things we probably did in the early days of the pandemic that were unimaginable.
Toilet paper in a hurry
#Costco lineup of ＃Downtown Vancouver today. The line returned to the back of the store, like the last aisle. Not only is it busy, it’s also eerily quiet. pic.twitter.com/nCBC2giEku
—Crystal_kwon (@crystal_kwon) March 13, 2020
In the very early days of COVID, we didn’t know much about the disease or its effects. For some reason, Canadians started buying obscene amounts of toilet paper.
Just watched Tiger King
tiger king/netflix
Nothing sums up the beginning of a pandemic like uncertainty and Tiger King.
cleaned up the groceries
toyday/shutterstock
Safety came first. In addition to limiting the number of people allowed in the grocery store, I went home and used wipes to clean everything.
drive-by birthday parade
Andrew Boydston/Shutterstock
We weren’t able to celebrate in person, so many decided to do a birthday drive-by.
I ate Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner alone
Dennis Andersen/Shutterstock
Holidays canceled. Most of us have scrapped plans to have lots of meals with family and friends over Christmas, Thanksgiving and even Easter on the advice of health officials.
I downloaded the House Party app to meet my friends
CNET
Our weekend was pretty lonely. Many of us downloaded the House Party app as a way to stay connected with our peers. But honestly? Has it ever worked correctly?!
stopped petting strange dogs
Irina Kozolog/Shutterstock
This was no easy change. Trying to get some fresh air, I can no longer pet the cute dog I see on my daily walks.
I was told the glory hole was the safer option
Purple Anvil/Shutterstock
Health officials in British Columbia have shared tips for staying intimate and personal while reducing the spread of coronavirus by practicing safe sex during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of those suggestions was the glory hole.
cut one’s hair
Carolyn Franks/Shutterstock
This was a lot of work. Many people showed up with interesting problems to Zoom called jobs after cutting their own hair or having their partner cut their hair.
Only sweatshirts since I started working from home
Wachiwit/Shutterstock
Many of us were basically told to go home and stay there for weeks, but that turned into months, even years. , we got out of bed and logged on.
Tried to Homeschool Kids
FamVeld/Shutterstock
Many parents had to do double duty and home school their children as they tried to get their jobs done.
Stop hugging and touching other people
shutter stock
The elbow bump has become the greeting of choice for many of us since we can no longer hug with a friend or shake someone’s hand.
bought a nintendo switch
BlurryMe/Shutterstock
The Nintendo Switch shot to the top of the sales charts at a time when people were wondering what to do with their spare time.
Friendships broken over controversial views
Roman Samborski/Shutterstock
Many people had some pretty controversial views during the pandemic.Politicians, including Donald Trump, had some ideas of dividing families and ending relationships.
bought a puppy
paws.org
Pandemic puppies have been huge as it has given people more time at home and the opportunity to make new friends.
