This whole thing that has swept the earth throughout 2020 needs no introduction, and it has undoubtedly changed our lives for certainly the next few years. We have been forced to adapt at lightening speed (I think I have broken the record for most apps downloaded) and embraced breathable, stretchy ensembles.

We in Melbourne have basically been under house arrest for over 100 days and hopefully beaten the wretched virus long-term, as we start to emerge from our caves with eases on the restrictions during the week. Hopeful that we never have to experience this again, we undoubtedly have also rearranged our lives in various ways and adapted to some kind of new system of normal.

I think we can all agree that we stopped saying “when we get back to normal” in around June, when the shift in planning our grand post-pandemic lives started to appear like a Disney fairytale. Remember when we would all say “I can’t wait for things to get back to normal so I can book my trip to Italy?” Yeah, me too. Although I used dreaming as a coping mechanism, COVID fatigue has set in and I have had to learn that returning to normal will not operate like a light switch.

So I have outlined some (positive!) things for our ‘new normal’ (for now!).

Working from Home

I think the majority of us have not missed the early mornings, the coffee spillages on the commute and throwing our clothes around looking for the matching sock. Although working from home has permitted greater access to the fridge and lolly jar, many have learned the various habits of their partners in lockdown. I have gathered some tweets.

1. @angelamayyyy
   A thing I have learned about my partner in these quarantiney times: he eats his last slice of pizza FROM CRUST TO TIP. I repeat: HE EATS HIS LAST SLICE OF PIZZA FROM CRUST TO TIP.
   5:55 AM · Mar 22, 2020
   
   
   2. @supergrrl7
   Things I have learned about my husband in lockdown: He has a weekly conference call on mon at 7:30am.
   I asked "what asshole scheduled that?"
   He said "Me."
   10:24 PM · Sep 14, 2020
   
   
   3. @EllynDegenerate
   Just found out my husband has like 20,000 unread work emails and now I want to go cry in a corner. It’s giving me anxiety. How does he do it?
   2:02 AM · Oct 10, 2020
   
   4. @potterashton
   Things I’ve learned about my partner since working from home:
   1. He should not eat dairy anymore
   2. He types louder than anyone I’ve ever heard type
   3. I would absolutely make fun of him to other coworkers if he were my coworker
   3:22 AM · Mar 18, 2020

Dining

I put my hand up when I admit to ordering UberEats under the disguise of helping small businesses (although I actually do want to do this), when in fact I am just too lazy to cook. And then there is the picnics. Normally, I would decline a picnic due to the bug infestations, weather elements, uncomfortable seating and just the all round food/outfit/location organisation. But that is genuinely all we have had, so I guess that can stay. It’s been cute.

It has been heartbreaking to see many restaurants/cafes shut due to the pandemic, and I have no doubt that in Melbourne we will bounce back to revive the scene. As long as they continue to offer these takeaway cocktails in a cup, gourmet picnic packs complete with lobster rolls and ordering out at the local pub off your phone because yes, I am still lazy.

Travel

I kind of wanted to avoid this one as it makes me deeply emotional thinking New York continues to slip further and further away from reality. But, for article purposes I will address the elephant in the cyber room. The heartache of not spending days mapping out the trip abroad has passed, and the foreign concept of regional travel has confusingly entered my brain. Heck, we’ve only just recently been allowed to travel more than 5km.

This “new normal” of short flights and long car rides may be logistically pleasing after all…perhaps more frequent getaways? Either way, I am beyond excited to try the exotic cuisines offered in Queensland or Western Australia. It hit hard when Qantas began selling their drink carts and although the thought of an overseas flight is incredibly daunting, I will continue to treasure my Qatar Airways pyjamas for a little longer.

Lifestyle

Undoubtedly this year will bring Australians together and strengthen us as a community. As we emerge from a tough year, we have begun to rebuild relationships that may have wavered, adjusting to a slower pace of life (driving a car remains a terrifying ordeal), and creating a new sense of normality that feels comfortable.

The anxiety is real when returning to a post-lockdown life, and it is absolutely ok if the thought of going to Coles is overwhelming (me right now procrastinating a visit ahead of Halloween).
It is predicted that there will be around 1.4 million job losses by the end of 2020 in Australia, so our sense of community remains paramount and that normal will mean something entirely different for each individual.

Appearance

I will be super offended if my local supermarket recognises me after this. I’ve got the dust off all my beautifully neglected clothing, and I can no longer cope with the sweats; the comeback tour is in session. In addition, I have only just finished the face night cream I panic bought back in March when we assumed we were heading into an apocalypse. Ashamedly I did purchase some blue eye pigment (IDGAF), and had a purple hair moment. But it was somewhat liberating to embrace these loony scenes, inviting anything to splash some colour onto our days at home.

I will be returning to the old normal on the style front but perhaps in a more eco-friendly manner (because obviously, there’ll be a few picnics to attend this season). Although I have stocked up on comfort clothing at an unprecedented level, I will be forcing myself to embrace a more minimalist approach…actually that will only remain until bars are fully open. I have fallen victim to multiple anxiety-driven lolly binges but somehow kept in shape, and I’m happy to keep this habit. However, I will be endeavouring to return to some kind of Scandi-chic vibe that incorporates comfort but impeccably foiled blonde hair and a nude satin face mask of course.


So from this, I am wishing you all the luck in the new normal, whatever that means to you. Create a new lifestyle, don’t get road rage (although I did this yesterday as cough, traffic) and embrace those bugs at the outdoor picnic. This whole thang is beyond our control and has affected us all differently, reinforcing the importance of our well being. So from this, I’ll see you at the bar in my groovy new sneakers.