How To Cope With Post-Pandemic Reopening Anxiety

While media (social and otherwise) seems to want to portray us as a nation of super-social birds of a feather who can't wait to start flocking together, this doesn't apply to everyone. If you're not dying to get together with all your friends — or perhaps you don't even have a bunch of friends — you're hardly alone in this. Not to mention, despite all the wishful rug-sweeping, it's important to remember, even if the virus disappeared tomorrow, that wouldn't erase everything that happened over the past year-plus. Perhaps you lost a loved one to the virus or your own health was impacted, or maybe you lost a job and are now struggling to pay your bills. If you're hurting, you're probably not ready (or able) to go out and party.

Your thoughts, needs, and worries are all perfectly valid, and you need to cope with your own situation in whatever way works best for you. If you have the option to continue to work or study at home, there's no reason not to do so. If you choose not to socialize, your real friends will understand. (If they don't, new bestie adoption's an option.) As Brit + Co points out, one valuable lesson to come out of the past year is that spending time alone can be both satisfying and empowering, and there's no need to let the world come rushing back into your private space unless and until you wish to do so.