At a recent socially distanced gathering, I found myself in an unwanted conversation with a person I barely knew. With my actual friends standing on the same lawn, the idle chit-chat felt like a waste of my visiting time and energy. I grew increasingly hot and twitchy. Soon, to my deep surprise, I had to bite my tongue to avoid blurting “I don’t want to speak with you.”
Luckily, I didn’t say it out loud, and the rude thought stayed in my head where it belonged. The encounter made me realize that spending so much time wandering listlessly around my own tiny household bubble had eroded my social skills. I wondered if my manners were also becoming a relic of the past, just like eating indoors at restaurants and nights out at the movies.
Many of us may be feeling similarly rusty as we prepare to open our homes and our hearts again to family, friends and neighbours. It’s an exciting time, but also a good moment to reflect on what we’ve longed for most and what we haven’t missed that much at all during the pandemic. Those insights can help shape our social re-entry plan. Here are some tips for getting back into social shape.
BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF
Just as our jurisdictions have distinct phases of gradual reopening, we can take things one step at a time as we re-enter a busier, more normal life. We don’t have to leap from sitting at the window watching the cat across the street, straight into packed parties and noisy barbecues. We might be surprised to discover we have some new mental and emotional limitations after having lived at a slower, quieter pace.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
From the King's Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi
Pushpesh Pant, one of India’s pre-eminent food writers, is back with a comprehensive food history of the capital.
Who Wants Coffee?
It’s bitter—but beloved around the world
Prevent The Pain Of Shingles
You don't have to suffer, as long as you take two important steps
The Best And Worst Diets For Your Heart
Dozens of diets are touted as ‘best’, but it’s easy to lose track of the fact that healthy eating needs to be about overall wellness, not just weight loss.
ME & MY SHELF
Journalist Sopan Joshi has worked in a science and environment framework for nearly three decades. His book Mangifera indica: A Biography of the Mango (Aleph Book Company) synthesizes the sensory appeal of India's favourite fruit with its elaborate cultural roots and natural history. He writes in English and Hindi.
SWITCHED
In 1962, nurses at a small Canadian hospital sent home two women with the wrong babies. Then, 50 years later, their children discovered the shocking mistake.
ECHOES OF THE PAST
A VISIT TO THE ANCIENT BARABAR CAVES IN BIHAR REVEALS A SURPRISING CONNECTION TO A LITERARY CLASSIC
Fathers of the Bride
A young woman finds a unique way to honour the many men who helped her survive her childhood
Fiction's Foresight
British-Bangladeshi author Manzu Islam's works reveal startling parallels to recent political upheavals in Bangladesh, begging the question: Besides helping us make sense of our world, can stories also offer a glimpse into the future?
It Happens ONLY IN INDIA
The Divine Defence Picture this: A tractor in Rajasthan‘s Banswara district,a group of loan agents closing in to seize it and the defaulting farmer and his family standing by.
