We Asked You When You'd Be Comfortable Doing 'Normal' Activities Again | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

We Asked You How You Felt About Resuming 'Normal' Activities, And Some Of Your Answers Shocked Us

The New York Times asked 511 epidemiologists when they'd feel comfortable doing "normal" activities again, considering COVID-19. We asked our peers the same thing, for science.

9887
We Asked You How You Felt About Resuming 'Normal' Activities, And Some Of Your Answers Shocked Us

Last month, the New York Times surveyed about 500 epidemiologists asking about their comfort level with certain activities once deemed normal — socializing with friends, going to the doctor, bringing in the mail. That's all well and good for the experts, but they are a very niche group, not the majority of the population. What do "normal" people feel safe doing? In certain states, we've seen how comfortable everyone is with everything (looking at you, Florida), but we wanted to know where Odyssey's readers fell on the comfort scale. Are they sticking with the epidemiologists who won't be attending a wedding for another year, or are they storming the sunny beaches as soon as possible?

A lot of respondents have their priorities in order — when asked how soon they'll go to a salon or barber to get their hair cut, 59.1 percent of them plan to get a trim (at the very least) this summer. A lot of people feel comfortable going to public places that are taking the necessary precautions, like making sure seats are cleaned, stylists and clientele are wearing masks, and other guidelines are followed based on local mandates.

"I feel that if the shops are being extra clean and sweeping after each haircut, cleaning their combs & brushes thoroughly, this isn't a problem," Lexi Lock, a student at Troy University said.

For what it's worth, 41 percent of epidemiologists said they'd also get groomed this summer. Fresh tips for all!

Oh, and remember gyms? For most of the country, gyms and fitness studios are in the later phases of reopening, but 34 percent of respondents are ready to go back now, even as there's another surge in COVID cases across the country. Most said they'd hit the gym again in three to 12 months, and some are even more hesitant to go for at least a year.

"With no guarantee that equipment has been sanitized, I cannot see myself going to a gym for a long time," Marisa DiPaolo, Odyssey's Social Media Manager, said.

For the record, the Texas Medical Association lists gyms as one of the most high-risk settings for coronavirus infection.

SEE MORE: 37 Fitness Influencer At-Home Workouts You Can Do While Quarantined

People are slowly but surely starting to explore the outside world again, but a lot of people have different opinions about how they're getting to these places. About 40 percent of responders won't even dare to get on public transportation for at least a year, and in fact, nine percent of them never will again. How these folks plan on getting to work? Great question.

A higher percentage — about 43 percent — are willing to take planes within the next 3 to 12 months, at about 27 percent are comfortable taking them as soon as like, yesterday.

There are still a handful of people, though, who aren't as quick to get back in the air.

"As much as I love traveling, I already know flight attendants weren't doing that much cleaning so it's going to be a few months until I can get back on a plane," said University of Kentucky student Constance Woodard.

Our epidemiology counterparts actually fall pretty closely in line with these opinions. Forty-four percent of them are still likely to wait three to 12 months, and 40 percent of them are waiting that long before riding a subway or bus again. Sure, some of us never have to go into an office again (see Twitter's new remote policy), but plenty of companies are either already back in the office or planning to return to a "normal" work environment soon, even in coronavirus hot spots like New York City.

OK, OK. It's no secret that we're all pretty much over baking bread in our kitchens, much less cooking for ourselves every night. Three meals a day results in a lot of effort and dirty dishes! So does this mean a majority of people are ready to dine in at restaurants again?

Fifty-nine percent of responders said they'd go back to eating out as soon as now, but 16 percent said they're not likely to dine in for at least one year. A majority of the scientific experts surveyed are waiting at least 3 to 12 months to be waited on.

One thing everybody seems to agree on is that we're not seeing a concert, play, or sporting event anytime soon.

"No chance people are all wearing masks and not spitting everywhere while they cheer for their team or sing, so I'm hitting pause on attending sporting events, concerts, and plays for a while," Taylor Mead, Odyssey's Senior Editor of Swoon, said.

Do we miss cheering on our favorite teams and eating as many hot dogs (and cheese fries) as possible? You'd better believe it. But with a shortened (and fanless) MLB season, and a variety of other methods to keep our athletes in business, we won't be sitting on bleachers anytime soon.

As far as concerts and plays are concerned, you have "Hamilton" on Disney+ and that's about all you can expect there. Good thing the JoBros tour was last year, am I right?

No matter where you are on "normal life," it's clear that we can't just snap our fingers and jet back to the good ole days of un-masked pool parties and weekly manicures. The pandemic as a whole (not the lack of nail appointments) has taken a toll on individuals' mental and physical wellbeing. The sooner everyone is on the same page, the sooner we'll put this weird time behind us. Then, hopefully, we can all feel comfortable getting back on the city bus and on with our lives.


Report this Content
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196097
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18387
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460508
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28111
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments