Quarantine Isn’t All That Bad

After the pandemic, maybe I’ll stay in quarantine.

Back in March, when the United States cared (or pretended to care) about Coronavirus, I was a little taken aback by the idea of quarantine. I wasn’t quite sure how things would play out, as I’m sure we all felt. I was especially puzzled about how I’d be okay with not going out for a beer at the brewery, missed bowling date nights with my boyfriend, and skipping out on summer beach trips.

Now, I’m not quite sure how things will play out when the quarantine is over. And, quite frankly, I’m a little worried about being exposed to humans again on a regular basis.

Of course, the quarantine is already over for some if we’re being honest. But, if I’m not mistaken, the U.S. isn’t doing so hot in controlling this virus and that’s mostly why I’m still isolating. The other reason is humans.

While I do go to the grocery store, I have visited my family very cautiously, and I’ve gone to Target for work supplies, I am mostly at home. Let me clarify for those clowns who think I’m living in fear — I’m not living in fear. I am just a person who cares about the well-being of others. I don’t want to be a carrier and not know it and spread it to someone who can die from this virus. I don’t want to overwork people who are forced to be waiting tables, working in a retail store, and tending a bar because many people are having to be at work because they were going to be let go of if they didn’t return to work when the pandemic was at a peak in our country.

I also kind of like being in quarantine. Yes, I get bored sometimes. Yes, I miss time with my family. Yes, I miss working in a coffee shop. Yes, I deeply miss traveling. But, what I don’t miss is people.

I know. I know. That likely sounded bad to some. But, either I grew immune to people’s nonsense in my life before quarantine or people have become more irritating or my patience level has decreased.

I believe the first two are most accurate.

Before quarantine, I dealt with people more often, as most of us did. We were constantly around people while at work, shopping, eating out, traveling, going to social events, and attending family gatherings. When you do something a lot, you usually get good at it. So, I think it’s safe to say that constantly being around people meant that I was good at dealing with nonsense. Or I was good at ignoring it.

I also think people have become more irritating between being stuck inside and forgetting how to act in public and people who have shown their true colors since being told to wear a mask and stand a respectable distance away from others. This is my greatest frustration these days. My skin crawls when I go into a grocery store and the family of four behind me is not standing on their assigned piece of tape, but closer, and their faces are uncovered and breathing all over me.

The bottom line is, I’m a little frightened for life after quarantine. I like to be a glass-half-full kind of girl, but I also like to be real and if I’m real, I know quarantine in the U.S. is going to last for some time longer. I’m frightened to leave my safe bubble and reenter this place drowning with ridiculous, selfish people.

But, I do look forward to seeing the good ones because we’ve gotta keep faith in the good ones still left out there.