After a year and a half of staying away from everything and everyone, when is the right time to start doing some of the things we used to enjoy?
This answer is going to vary based on the individual. Some are going to be more comfortable than others. Some are already out there living their best lives like ‘Rona had never happened and doesn’t exist in their worlds, some are more cautious and have only dipped their toes into going out to eat or visiting a family member. I feel like I’m one of those “middle of the road” people.
For the record, I’m fully vaccinated, have been for about six months now.
Once I waited out the time after getting my second shot, despite the anxiety I’ve developed during this time, I had to go and have a dinner out somewhere that wasn’t my couch, bed, or home work space. After that, I stayed away from doing anything in public again for a while when the case counts started going up again.
In June, I had made the decision that despite being vaccinated, I had to stop living in fear. I had to learn to trust the experts further and start taking steps to reclaim some of what I’ve lost since March 2020 while being conscience of my surroundings and acting accordingly. I started small by doing things like privately visiting “family” and friends whom had also been vaccinated
Since then, I’ve made weekend trips to outdoor tourist destinations, some in state, some in neighboring states, some which required an overnight stay (Normally I’m a cheap prick and I tend to stay in lower end hotels, but I’ve been opting for some of the higher end places where I know that the cleaning and sanitation would be of a bit higher quality, allowing me to justify paying the extra cost).
I’ve attended a small intimate wedding, I’ve started going into my office once or twice a week, I’ve started going to the movies again, I’ve attended an small scale independent pro wrestling event where there were a few hundred people, went to a larger pro wrestling event where there were a few thousand people.
I’ve slowly become more comfortable doing some of the things I like doing again because I’m vaccinated and choose to continue to wear my mask in public situations. I still get a little bit anxious the more I push myself to get back out there, but the more I take the necessary precautions to protect myself, the better I feel about venturing further beyond my front door and my comfort zone.
So, is it the right time to expand my horizons further? Maybe?
Well, next month, I plan on going to my first NHL game since October 2019 (I normally only go to one game a year) where there will potentially be 16 or 17 thousand people. Again, provided I continue to take the necessary precautions, I should be able to safely navigate that.
Who knows, if that goes well, there’s no telling what I may try next.
Wish me luck!
Random Shizz 