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Original poster

The positives of The covid pandemic.

211 replies

badgergirly · 03/02/2023 12:35

Thinking back to covid times/lockdown/the pandemic and what a horrendous time it was for many, losing loved ones, children losing their education and and generally a horrible time for the world, I'm curious to ask if anyone can take anything positive from it all?

Has life changed in anyway for you that's become a positive going forward?

My DH now works from home 50% of the time and can take out DC to school and pick up, something he would never been able to do prior to covid as he would have been in the office.

He was also able to take DC to nursery in lockdown/covid times.

We also had another baby last year, something I'm positive wouldn't have happened if covid hadn't have been present.

OP posts:
Berlinlover · 03/02/2023 22:07

I work in a supermarket so was lucky to be still going out to work every day. My partner came to my checkout during the first lockdown and we got chatting. We were friends first and became a couple in December 2020.

Summerunlover · 03/02/2023 22:07

Nope it’s ruined my life. Am so miserable now.

leccybill · 03/02/2023 22:13

We paid our mortgage off.
DH can WFH 2/3 days a week now which takes a bit of the strain off.
We got a dog. She has brought joy to us all and helped us navigate the tricky teen years with DD.
Feel less guilty declining social invitations these days, I just don't like going out that much.

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Covid-19
Nimbostratus100 · 03/02/2023 22:14

The black death killed half the population of Europe and resulted in social mobility, higher wages and an increased standard of living for millions.

It is possible for good things to result from bad things

BogRollBOGOF · 03/02/2023 22:15

Err...

....

.... I've got some pots of bulbs coming into bloom that I planted in October 2020 as further restrictions were brewing as a symbol of hope to keep me going through what was inevitably going to be an awful winter. Knowing they were there, dormant and spring would come and life would get better again was something to look forwards to through the months and months of bleak monotony.

That was a bit of an effort of positive thinking to even come up with that one.

VladmirsPoutine · 03/02/2023 22:24

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the normalisation of WFH is one of the best things that ever happened to me, WFH made me as happy as the day my niece was born!

NecklessMumster · 03/02/2023 22:31

I love love love wfh. And on a more superficial level I am happy with my long grey streaked hair, if it wasn't for lockdown I would have continued to let my hairdresser talk me into short dyed hair. It has saved me a fortune and looks ten times better

Friarclose · 03/02/2023 23:29

WFH has changed my life, honestly. I adore it.

My beautiful whippet, whom I couldn't have had without WFH.

Being able to see my DS off to school in the morning, I used to have to leave before him and be stressed he'd miss his bus.

The fact that facetime is so normal now - had a facetime dinner with a friend the other day, would never thought to do that before.

Overall the pandemic was good for me however I don't broadcast that because I know it was devastating for a lot of others.

dariase · 04/02/2023 00:13

The black death killed half the population of Europe and resulted in social mobility, higher wages and an increased standard of living for millions

A bit different don't you think. And none of those benefits for most; increased social mobility, wages or living standards.

WaggyTailsWetNoses · 04/02/2023 00:33

For us, it’s been DH going from working 4 days a week in london to 4 days working from home. It’s helped my career as he shares more child wrangling and school runs, and has meant he has been able to spend so much more time with the kids, sharing interests and just hanging out. We moved to a house a little further from the station, which has worked out well.

Zoom meetings have been amazing in my consultation work with schools. I no longer have to decline invites to
meetings as I can’t justify the travel time.

It’s also broadened the range of work I can do. Some of my work is quite specialist age I can now offer it to clients across the country. And I have a fantastic, expert Zoom clinical supervisor who I’ve only met once.

Like many families, we got a dog. Then we got another. Dogs are amazing additions to the family, and are great for teens’ well-being and for learning responsibility.

I got closer to the friends I wanted and needed to be closer to. When geography is no longer a deciding factor, you sometimes realise your nearest and dearest are in Adelaide, Edinburgh, Buenos Aires and that’s okay. It also gave me a chance to reevaluate some friendships I’d perhaps been hanging on to for too long.

There are so many tragic consequences of covid. Sometimes it’s good to consider the positives too.

Nimbostratus100 · 04/02/2023 00:38

dariase · 04/02/2023 00:13

The black death killed half the population of Europe and resulted in social mobility, higher wages and an increased standard of living for millions

A bit different don't you think. And none of those benefits for most; increased social mobility, wages or living standards.

what do you mean, different? Yes, different century, different disease, different government, different society, different population structure, different industries, different laws, different culture, what is your point?

Nimbostratus100 · 04/02/2023 00:39

many children benefitted, and their education was improved by the pandemic

This gets lost in all the media headlines

It was very good for many

Nimbostratus100 · 04/02/2023 00:40

Many people's mental health improved

suicide rate came down

PennyToffee · 04/02/2023 00:42

Fuck all really. I couldn't WFH then or now.

dariase · 04/02/2023 00:42

what do you mean, different? Yes, different century, different disease, different government, different society, different population structure, different industries, different laws, different culture, what is your point?

That's it. You've got it. Completely different and irrelevant example. The Black Death as a comparison with covid indeed!

WaggyTailsWetNoses · 04/02/2023 00:45

I don’t understand the view that it’s crass or tasteless to discuss the positives of the covid situation. Life is complex, positives come from tragedies, growth can come from trauma. Any event is going to affect people differently, it’s a fact of life. And one person’s happiness doesn’t make another person’s sadness sadder. Life isn’t a zero sum game. To say an event is just tragic, that no positive can come of it is pretty one dimensional.

Nimbostratus100 · 04/02/2023 00:47

dariase · 04/02/2023 00:42

what do you mean, different? Yes, different century, different disease, different government, different society, different population structure, different industries, different laws, different culture, what is your point?

That's it. You've got it. Completely different and irrelevant example. The Black Death as a comparison with covid indeed!

Did you not read what I said?

PennyToffee · 04/02/2023 00:50

Lets all celebrate that some peoples lives are better now and fuck everyone who went out to work every day during the pandemic and don't have the luxury of WFH.

It's so lovely to read how your lives are so much better now. Bitter, me?

KickHimInTheCrotch · 04/02/2023 05:55

I really enjoyed the first lockdown. We spent so much quality time together as a family and did things we haven't had time for since. Even the second big lockdown in early 2021 was good for us as a family and I look back at those days as a real opportunity we had to connect and reset. Sadly we've become bogged down in clubs and activities and parties again since. I'm often trying to find ways to recreate those quiet, long days staying locally and enjoying each others company but it's never quiet the same.

Buttalapasta · 04/02/2023 06:33

Lockdown was awful. In Italy we weren't allowed out to exercise and we live in a small flat but I do think my elder ds (now 18) got closer to ds (now 13) as previously he was always out with friends.

sweetheartyparty · 04/02/2023 06:41

WFH has opened up so many more opportunities. I live and work in the NE in a role that are few and far between up here. Most of these roles are based in London and I could never afford to move there. Hybrid or remote working means that my net can spread much further

Original poster
badgergirly · 04/02/2023 06:43

PennyToffee · 04/02/2023 00:50

Lets all celebrate that some peoples lives are better now and fuck everyone who went out to work every day during the pandemic and don't have the luxury of WFH.

It's so lovely to read how your lives are so much better now. Bitter, me?

Well you've clearly got issues ...

OP posts:
MintJulia · 04/02/2023 06:44

Being furloughed at 57. I'd worked since leaving school. Having 4 months off was beyond relief.

Being made redundant got me out of a horribly sexist and unpleasant company and (after a gap) into a nice one where I wfh 4 days a week.

Wfh has removed 90% of the stress. Then I was diagnosed with BC, and wfh has allowed me to keep working while getting sorted.

namechangeforthisbleep · 04/02/2023 07:13

Sartre · 03/02/2023 14:07

Hmm, the positives of a global pandemic
that killed millions… Nope, not many.

There's always one

ShippingNews · 04/02/2023 07:15

Social distancing - I love it ! And people in general being aware that huge crowds are not a good thing .