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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What have you learnt from this pandemic?

317 replies

pawsies · 27/07/2020 20:31

For me I am a naturally cautious person and tend to think of worst case scenarios on a daily basis. I am a catastrophiser.

Therefore I'm very reluctant to book things far in advance. I wouldn't book a holiday years in advance. Maybe months but more likely weeks.

This pandemic has reinforced that. I can't see myself booking a holiday for 2022/2023. I want to go away in January but probably won't book anything until December.
Seeing the hassle people have had to go through to get money back/travel insurance etc puts me off booking anything earlier.

What about you?

OP posts:
sessell · 29/07/2020 00:28

That I love a more simple life. Less is more. I am blessed to have my lovely DDs. That I do not miss shopping. That I don't miss going into an office and am happy working from home, but I could do with a dog for company and exercise.

That I don't need to travel and dash around the world to find myself, I just need to pay much more attention to here and now. I don't miss social pressure and am more of an introvert than i thought.

That some people - probably extroverts - can't stand this and start to unravel and lash out.

Fieldofgreycorn · 29/07/2020 00:29

That I’m much happier working from home than I could have imagined.

psychomath · 29/07/2020 00:57

Most people who claim to care about mental health are lying

Most people who claim to care about social inequality are lying

I don't really care about many people except myself

How to derive the Maxwell equations

BruceAndNosh · 29/07/2020 01:00

That hundreds of people think that putting up with lockdown is a valid excuse for leaving their rubbish anywhere they like once they were allowed to go out

Poundpup · 29/07/2020 02:28

I have learnt that whilst I enjoy working from home and all the benefits that is has brought along with it, ideally I would prefer a couple of days in the office per week to meet up with colleagues face to face.
The UK media is far more toxic than I realised and the current Government is useless at making decisions regarding what is best for society as they are too busy looking out for themselves and maintaining the status quo.
There are far more people who lack common sense and the ability to think for themselves than I thought.
I have some fabulous friends and family members.

I do not miss buying stuff I do not really need or my daily commute but most of all I have really enjoyed and appreciated the slower pace of life in general.

ssd · 29/07/2020 09:27

That on a train with 6 carriages and plenty room, idiots like the 2 in front of me decided to sit next to me. I moved but WTF.

NewNewt · 29/07/2020 09:35

what is that all about ssd?! Used to puzzle me in normal times but it baffles me now.

Same with carparks and beaches and parks. Scores of empty spaces with whole sections unoccupied, acres of land, everyone spreading out as much as possible, yet one family will always park right up next to your car or plonk themselves almost on top of your picnic rug. It is so, so, weird.

DillonPanthersTexas · 29/07/2020 09:37

Some people are capable of extraordinary acts of kindness and generosity.

Some people are unthinking selfish twats.

contrmary · 29/07/2020 09:40

People are cunts. As long as you've got the TV, some books and some games to play, you really don't need the outside world.

Working from home is a lot less stressful (and much more productive) than working in the office.

The supply of goods hangs by a thread and if the shit really hit the fan the shelves would be bare within hours. (It took months for stocks of some goods to recover, even with shelves being restocked daily.)

00100001 · 29/07/2020 09:42

That everyone is an expert in handling pandemics on a national scale. And if they were in charge they would have done X,Y and Z. Would have locked down sooner, would have made fave coverings compulsory...had the army out enforcing things... Launched the nuclear missiles to Brighton beach...

Orangecake123 · 29/07/2020 09:43

Most people are thick and selfish.

If you love someone tell them.

summersolstice43 · 29/07/2020 10:10

That I'm lonely with no friends and (most) NHS managers don't give a shit about their staff.

SengaStrawberry · 29/07/2020 12:09

That people will give up their hard fought for rights and freedoms very easily and then clamour for more to be taken away. I find it astonishing really.

user1497207191 · 29/07/2020 17:29

I've learned that some NHS staff didn't have the sense to organise their stock rooms properly, put new deliveries at the front of shelves, and took supplies from the front of shelves, leaving huge amounts of expensive supplies to go out of date at the back of shelves.

My neighbour (who is a GP sub-branch practice manager) gave me several boxes of out of date plastic gloves, hand sanitizer and facemasks which they couldn't use because they were out of date. She was desperate to get rid of them and was handing them out to anyone who wanted them so that her bosses didn't see just how much had been allowed to go out of date!.

abstractprojection · 29/07/2020 17:41

I’m a worrier and worst caser, and Covid has chilled me out quite a lot.

The worst things have happened (pandemic, recession, job loses etc.) and guess what I’m fine, and whatever happens I have the resources (family, friends, savings, internal strength and resourcefulness) to get through it even if it’s not easy

I’m also a saver but to the extent that I deny myself nice things and experiences, because I fear that terrible things will happen and I have to prepare for them. Though this means I have more resources (see above) it also means that I’m not living for now and the good things, I’ve been living for tommorow and the bad things.

Now my attitude is more enjoy money and health while you have it, you won’t always. Not to the point of being reckless, it’s balance, but a better and healthier one

Libertylee · 29/07/2020 17:46

That society is mostly each man for himself, and can’t cope without Costa, McDonalds and a holiday to Spain
That I work much better independently and out of the office environment.

AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 01/08/2020 09:54

@SengaStrawberry yep really scary

TheDrsDocMartens · 01/08/2020 10:01

@GuyFawkesDay

That I actually don't like other people very much?!! 😂😂😂
Me too!
bruffin · 01/08/2020 13:12

Most people are thick and selfish
Dont agree, I think some people (especially mumsnetters) like to think other people are "thick and selfish" just so they feel better about themselves.

phoenixrosehere · 01/08/2020 14:24

That too many people can’t mind their own business, there are way too many judgemental people about what kinds of face masks people are wearing, just be happy people are wearing some type of face covering to begin with, that I hate my husband wfh every day and dislike being stuck with him and my children all day/ every day without a few hours break to myself that doesn’t involve a chore. I need to go back to work where I at least have a moment to myself, can talk to other people and feel appreciated. Last and certainly not least, if I became a widow I probably wouldn’t get married or in a serious relationship again.

BluebellForest836 · 01/08/2020 18:27

There are to many people that are busy bodies and need to get on with their own shit and stop worrying about what everyone else is doing.

JudgeRindersMinder · 01/08/2020 18:55

That some of my friends are amazing and supportive, and some of my relatives really aren’t.
I’m not the antisocial recluse I thought I was, I do need to be around people for some of the time

jessstan2 · 02/08/2020 23:19

That I love being on my own. I did before but the pandemic gave me an excuse. I'm now trying to work out how I can achieve being on my own all the time when things are 'normal' again.

IAmFleshIAmBone · 03/08/2020 02:38

That a great deal of people really do not give a shit about hidden disabilities

managedmis · 03/08/2020 03:03

I have trouble sitting still and relaxing, I'm ALWAYS doing something

I really do have to force myself to socialise, I'm another one who has liked not having to think up crap excuses not to see people.

I prefer time alone to seeing people.

I have to exercise alone. Even DH pissed me off when we went cycling, he went too fucking fast and kept 'waiting' for me.

I find it very easy to not spend any money - but realise this is easy when you have a fab house in a lovely area.

I'm ridiculously good at meal plans and prep. Saves a fortune.

Last one - I'm slow to lose weight!