One thing is certain about these crazy and uncertain times: some things will never be the same after we finally get out on the other end of this terrible pandemic.

But what will those things be…?

Folks on AskReddit shared their thoughts about what will never be the same after the pandemic.

1. This is a bummer.

“Bowling (at least as we know it).

Everyone shares the balls… which you stick your fingers in… and they got mixed with the random group you share a lane with…. and you exclusively eat finger food (fries, wings, nachos, etc) with limited napkins…

And then you stick your fingers back in the mystery holes…. and there’s a machine that literally BREATHES on your hands.”

2. Sorry, we’re closed.

“There’s gonna be way less stores open 24/7.

I think a lot of the ones that were 24/7 were trying to go back to day/evening hours and saw the pandemic as the perfect opportunity to switch.

I dont think they’ll go back to 24/7 after the pandemic is over.”

3. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

“I used to enjoy the movie theater experience.

I may never go again.”

4. Death stares.

“Coughing without people death-staring you.

You can never cough in peace in public ever again.”

5. Smaller weddings.

“Coming from India, weddings over here is huge affair.

You buy dinner for 1000-1500 people and spend money to make it as lavish as possible. People almost bankrupt themselves on 3 days affair. It’s a cultural issue, if you don’t spend, you would be called cheap in your social circle.

For the first time , people are getting married with limited 100 people. I sincerely hope, it doesn’t change and people stick to it.”

6. Let’s just touch elbows.

“Shaking hands.

I always hated it especially seeing how many dudes don’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom.”

7. Not cool at all.

“My opinion of everyone I know.

People I thought were reasonable and intelligent are complete morons who throw science out the window and live very selfishly.”

8. Sorry for your loss.

“My whole life.

I lost my mom to the pandemic. She was only 45. And because of the pandemic, we weren’t allowed to visit her st the hospital very often. Mom, if reddit exists in heaven and you are reading this…

I just want to say, I love you.”

9. The way it should be.

“I’m hoping that this convinces the (American, pretty much everyone else has this figured out already) masses that healthcare is a human right and should not be tied to employment.

The pandemic has shown that plenty of people lose their jobs through no fault of their own, despite their best efforts and that should not condemn them to either going without healthcare or accumulating crippling debt when they lose their health insurance coverage.”

10. So sad.

“Small restaurants will be closed for good.

A lot of the hole in the wall restaurants with the most amazing food will be closed forever.”

11. I see you…

“Well, that the majority have shown their true colors.

You can’t unring that bell.”

12. No more fun.

“Those ball pits for kids are probably a thing of the past.

Playgrounds in general are going to have to be rethought as a concept going forward.”

13. The new normal.

“Masks. I’m Asian but I live in the US.

I’ve always wanted to wear a mask when I had a cold or a cough.

But it felt too awkward.”

14. No more sense of community.

“My love for my hometown has vanished.

The citizens here are anti-mask and anti-science. They risk their children’s health with parties and say if their kid dies it’s “God’s will.” I blame Trumpism 100%.

People who live here throw garbage all over the place because they don’t have to be “politically correct” anymore. They drive by and yell the n-word out at the black people who live here, even if children are there to hear.

I will forever loathe and disgust the town I grew up in now- it’s the place where I had wanted to raise my children. Trumpism ruined my hometown and the pandemic showed who the people who live here have become.

I feel filthy living here and have already begun looking for a job elsewhere. We’re putting the house on the market.

My whole sense of community and safety is gone.”

15. Let’s hope so!

“Hopefully your boss will finally admit that all his dumb meetings actually could have been emails all along.”

16. Married life.

“My marriage.

My wife and I had to work from home together (separate jobs) from March until September when she had to go back to the office. I am still working from home. During this time, we became increasingly closer.

I have heard so many stories of marital problems being caused by Covid. I literally miss my wife everyday she has to go to work.

I meet her at the door like a puppy. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Sometimes forced proximity does too.”

17. They’re gonna miss that.

“My dogs have expected me to basically be around all the time and rub their bellies 24/7.”

18. Sad to think about.

“Most of the mom and pop stores in my town are gone forever.

Some of these stores I grew up with, the nickle arcade, the tiny French bakery my aunt took us to when we got good grades, the only ramen shop open after 10PM, my favorite donut shop, the fancy British tea shop I never had a good date in but many London Fogs that were utterly perfect, the only dim sum place, the handmade mochi and tea shop, the only cigar shop in town to get fancy cigars…

I lament the death of all these tiny businesses I took for granted. I always thought they’d be around. Now my community is left with just brand named box stores, no more originality and flavor.

Just closed skyrise buildings surrounded by a garishly lit Denny’s, Olive Garden, and Target.”

19. Not looking good.

“Small businesses.

As a kitchen worker, I am very concerned about our industry. So many independent restaurants have closed down in our town, at least a third.

It’s depressing because we all have a deep passion for our careers, and we’re just watching it all crumble.”

20. No more of that.

“Office life. My company has already announced that once we are allowed to go back, we’d only be going once or twice a week.

It seems many realized how feasible working from home is.”

21. The backlog.

“My attitude towards my entertainment backlog. Previously I used to look at my PlayStation library or my Netflix list and think “If I just had a few weeks off,I could make a serious dent”

I’ve had more then a few weeks off and my backlog seems if anything more endless,I’ll probably be in the retirement home with that little voice in the back of my head going “Peaky Blinders is meant to be good, should get on that”.”

22. A tough one.

“My bank balance.

In the words of the great Tiger King himself, “I’m never gonna financially recover from this”.”

23. Might be gone forever.

“Costco free samples 🙁 .”

24. Hesitant.

“As a nursing assistant, I will be forever oh so hesitant to get near someone (particularly the elderly who like to cough directly at you) without my eye-shield and mask.”

25. No more contact.

“Food delivery just being dropped off on your doorstep.

Remember when you had to go outside and make EYE CONTACT like some kind of PERSON?! No more, my friends. Just leave it outside and I’ll get it when I’m ready.

No more scrambling to find pants when you’re half baked and hungry…”

26. Not interested…

“It’s kinda taught me that even if I had seemingly endless time, I’m clearly not interested in some stuff.

I started to go through the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list (morbid title, but hey, what better year for that), and one of the entries is a seven hour, black and white Hungarian movie called Satantango. “I’m furloughed, there’s no better time to watch that,” I thought.

Nearly a year in to the pandemic, still haven’t watched it, because… did you read the description for it. Hoping, based off the list title, this means I’ll never die.”

27. What does the future hold?

“Working in an office, particularly in Japan.

I live in Japan. Going to the office and spending all day here is a deep cultural tradition. Asking your manager at a traditional Japanese company to work from home regularly is on par with asking them “Hey I just realized I’m Dragonkin, can you please work with the cafeteria to put live cats on the menu?”, you would get the same reaction. Even in cases of personal illness or family emergency.

So many companies here, even in the early COVID days, flat out publicly said “Hah, no, we will NEVER be doing that ‘work from home’ thing, sorry. That’s laughably naïve.”

Then, the country issued a “Declaration of National Urgency” (not an actual Emergency, as that would entitle the govt to be actually accountable to the livelihoods of the people, just a very strong arm public stance and shaming businesses into following suit). Literally those same companies issuing the statements above were scrambling the next week to get their staff safely working from home, online, using remote meeting tools, etc.

So, that was a big game-changer. Still, everyone was thinking, “Once the urgency order is lifted, we’ll all be going back to work as normal”. Well, the urgency order lasted a few months.

And those traditional Japanese businesses saw what happened to their bottom lines when they no longer had to pay for electricity, heating/AC, cleaning, office equipment and maintenance, subsidized travel expenses to/from work, soft items like coffee and snacks, etc… and so many of them now are singing the praises of a “sensible work from home policy” and planning for even long-term work-from-home options.

Now the society is changing very rapidly to accommodate working from home. More people recently are less looking at buying their first house/apartment in crowded Tokyo outskirts/close suburbs, and looking more to buying 1-2 hours away in the boonies where land is actually affordable and living is better.

It’s watching a sociological essay/study unfold, live, in slow-motion.”

How about you?

What do you think will never be the same after the pandemic is over?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Thanks!