Anyone else feeling anxious after running the gauntlet of back to school shopping?

[YouAfterMe]

I actually made a point of ordering less online because I didn’t want my high street to die - but went out yesterday and Clarks was manic, Sports Direct was a scrum, rymans was cramped, M&S had a queue etc etc.

Kind of ploughed through with the ol’ mask & hand san & trying my best to distance - but now regretting I didn’t turn around and walk out.

I’ve been judgy over South Wales ravers - but basically I went to a ‘Sports Direct’ rave - with crappier music.

It’s made me much more anxious about the speed at which restrictions are loosening in September.

Kids are back at school, clubs are taking their cues and restarting F2F, shops are buzzing and hard to distance in, it’s getting too cold for park meet-ups so everyone is nipping in for a cuppa .... kind of all in the space of a fortnight for me.

Maybe shop online for a month or so and then see how you feel?

its done now surely?
what do you need to get?

Yeah - it’s done - but it’s ended up with me feeling that it’s certain we’ll be getting CV this winter - between the world becoming more crowded, schools going back and winter.

Every person there was the same as me - a parent kitting their kid out for school.

I guess that if freaking Sports Direct and Clarks can’t keep up the social distancing with adults - it’s pretty clear that SD is finished as a concept in the school-age children demographic.

I buy as much as I can online. I really don't care if the High St dies (in fact I think it might create new opportunities) but I had to buy a couple of things yesterday. It was AWFUL. First time in shops other than supermarket since Covid and it was terrible. Bad service, rude staff, incorrect stock levels and inconsistent Covid management. Reminded me why I never pop into town. Strangely the high point was actually Clark's. Polite staff, well organised etc. Really though, I longed to be at home with a cuppa and my laptop. Why people go shopping for enjoyment is beyond me.

I’m not being goady but what did you expect?
The back to school scrum is always the same every single year.
Kids go back to school & need stuff

Well - Clarks I was returning mail ordered shoes - so I was apart from the scrum - but it was literally dense with little people sitting on every surface and the floor.

Sports Direct I was just being an effing cheapskate - because their online ordering kept crashing and their shoes are so much cheaper. I should have known they would be IDGAF about COVID based on their CEOs scummy lockdown behaviour . Lesson learnt.

Why did you leave it to the last minute?

I’ve been out and it was ok. Clarks was well controlled with an appointment system.

The only difficult thing was not being able to try on uniform.

Everyone was just like OP they needed to pop out to finalise back to school, you contributed to the numbers and probably weren't the only one thinking "oh god this is awful". I think it might have been worse this year as everyone has been waiting to hear final instructions from school, e.g. mufti or uniform, and had decided to leave shoes until very last minute, or perhaps they had to do 2 week return from France quarantine and couldn't get out before now.

Hopefully things back to normality next summer.