This year has handed the entire world situations many of us never thought we would have to deal with. Humans are adaptable, though, so we just keep right on ticking, doing what it takes to get by and trying out best to help others get by too.
For a lot of people, that meant doing things they never thought they'd do - . But that makes sense - we're not the same people we were last before 2020 2020'ed at us, for better or worse.
Check out what these people got up to this year.
Best Decision I've Ever Made
leaving audrey tautou GIFGiphyGhosted my job with no new job lined up.
My supervisor sexually harassed me over 3 years. I finally reported it towards the end of last year and felt completely alienated from my co-workers. He got fired after the investigation, but even afterwards there were constant rumors and an extremely toxic work environment.
At the end of January I just walked out at the end of the day and never went back. It was the best decision I've ever made.
That Pretty Much Sums Up 2020
I tripped over and fell face first in fresh cowpat.
It was even more 2020 as it happened in front of a lady with her two daughters, who were laughing hysterically. It was full coverage.
The pat was so fresh my face sunk in far too easily.
It Started With 10
I started doing pushups. Like... a lot of them.
It started in April with 10 pushups every hour throughout the work day. Then 15, then 20. Eventually, I dropped the time down to 30 minutes. For the past several months, I've been doing over 1500 pushups a week.
I haven't gained a significant amount of mass (still wear the same shirt size) but my arms/chest are considerably more defined than they used to be. Particularly the triceps- I can flex them and things actually happen haha. Never would have thought that would be a thing.
I definitely feel stronger though.
The Fry That Broke The Camels Back
Have a mental breakdown in my car because of a missing side of fries.
If it makes you feel any better, a lot of us get to that point. Things pile up and pile up and pile up, and when there's nowhere for that stress and anxiety to go, it manifests in weird ways.
I started crying in a cracker barrel because they kept me waiting for 45 minutes for a takeout order that I'd placed online. It wasn't because of the cracker barrel, it was because I spent the year dealing with a ton of medical and personal issues.
The cracker barrel was just the tiny little feather that caused the entire house of cards to collapse.
I relate and hear you. I started crying hysterically one day because I hit my foot on the curb wrong while out on a walk.
Then I was embarrassed picturing a neighbor seeing that. Then I cried harder.
Going for walks is literally all I have to do, and it was such a stupid literal misstep that made me acutely aware of how bored, overworked, underwhelmed, anxious, sad, and lonely I am
- abqkat
That New Butthole Feeling
Mr Bean Thumbs Up GIFGiphyHad bowel surgery, also had my hole reconstructed 👌 didn't sh*t for a month. Can't beat that new butthole feeling.
All is well now, can honestly say it was the most uncomfortable experience of my life but sometimes you just gotta deal with the shit to get the sugar, made full recovery and my quality of life is 99% better.
1 or 2 Cups Of Rice To Survive
This year was tough. My mom, sister and I have to eat two meals per day and limit 1 to 2 cups of rice everyday to survive the night.
I got laid off and just got hired this month. Unfortunately, salary will be given mid January. I'm still finding ways to make Christmas special for mamita and sister.
We do not have programs like food pantries in the Philippines. We got help months earlier during the peak of the pandemic. Unfortunately, they stopped because infections are getting lighter in the city. It sucks to be poor, but we have less reasons to complain.
I Thought I Broke My Feet
Lost a ton of weight, got in really good shape, resting heart rate is currently at 40.
I was pretty fat back in March. Now I run 3 miles and lift 6 days a week. Able to crank out a 3 mile in 25ish min. My 1 mile time is at 7:20 flat.
Pretty proud of myself, considering I would sweat and get winded just from walking across a parking lot before. I for real, honestly, thought I broke bones in my feet in the beginning. It was a huge shock to my skeleton.
I just powered through and switched up cardio when the pain was too intense to run and did cycling or stair-stepper instead.
Also, it totally cured my sleep apnea! I no longer snore and I sleep like a damn baby through the night, every night.
Woundmates
Have to sign a lease on my own place after me and significant other split up. 2020 hasn't failed to disappoint.
On the bright side, it'll give me time to self reflect and make personal growth changes mentally and physically. I'm sure the ex will just carry on repressing his childhood issues with his food addiction and filling voids with inanimate objects instead of seeking the therapy he desperately needs.
This year certainly has reminded me that no matter how hard you try to suggest personal changes, you cannot make someone want to make changes, but I most definitely won't take the blame for the problems that stemmed from that neglect.
My ex is still loved dearly, and will certainly miss his company, but in essence, we were both miserable, tired of each other's shit and woundmates rather than soulmates.
Thanks for reading my long ass rant.
I'll Be Alright
Bought a new car. I wasn't even planning on it that day when I woke up. Took my car in for a minor repair to find out there was major work needed totaling $6400.
Couldn't justify spending that on a 9 year old car with 125,000 miles on the clock. I was upset at losing that car.
Best car I ever had. Old reliable. Comfy seat like a well worn recliner and the best damn stereo I'd ever heard. Still, the new one makes up for it... panoramic sunroof, 8 speaker Infinity sound system, huge infotainment system, turbo engine, heated AND cooled seats, and a heated steering wheel. I think I'll be alright.
- CABGX4
A Gnarly-Looking Skinned Knee
I learned how to roller-skate.
It's a small thing, but I'm an adult who had never tried it before. I had always thought it looked so cool when I was younger, but I was way too scared of falling and hurting myself. I was a bit of a baby for a long time.
I spent this summer under lockdown in my driveway with my best friend who's been in roller derby since she was a kid, who helped me from just standing up without falling to zooming down the empty streets together.
It's been absolutely amazing, I now take every opportunity on a nice day to spend at least an hour roller-skating. Me from not even a year ago wouldn't have believed I'd ever learn how to do something like this.
It's never too late to learn a skill, even a small or "childish" one. If you've always wanted to learn how to roller-skate, it's more than possible to learn in two months. At the very least, it's worth it just for the elation you feel at every small triumph, and the satisfaction of a really gnarly-looking skinned knee.
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2020 has been intense and exhausting on so many levels it's not even funny ... unless semi-apocalyptic dumpster fires are your sense of humor. People are so over this year and it's not even autumn yet.
Thing is, being intense and exhausting doesn't necessarily mean it's all bad. Some of the most intense and exhausting things in the world eventually make you stronger and teach valuable lessons.
One Reddit user asked:
Normally we save these sorts of things for a year-end wrap up, but we're a little more than halfway through and now seems like a good time to write some stuff down before we forget.
Time Management
There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want
I feel this man. I thought that with all the extra time I had I would get so much more done. Turns out I just need to get a lot better at time management.
I always told myself I'd get more writing done without my day job. Then I lost my job from May to August... all that free time filled up fast... hardly any writing done.
Not Surprised, Just Disappointed
Sad Empire Strikes Back GIF by Star WarsGiphyCame here to say how disappointed I am to find out that there are so many stupid, hateful racist morons among my countrymen. I always knew there was an element of that in society. I never knew it was so many damned people, though.
Makes we wonder how we ever got beyond living in caves and flinging poo at each other.
I'd also add entitled to that list. It seems to be across the board; not just in any one demographic. I'm more shocked at seeing this trait in people aged 30 and up.
Grown ups are acting irresponsibly w/o regard for other people's rights or safety and throwing temper tantrums when they don't get their way. Worst of all are the ones who act like selfish, obnoxious a$holes and call themselves patriots for doing so. It baffles the mind.
Subject To Change
LIFE IS ALWAYS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Get out there and do the things you want to do because one day you may not be able to.
- cshady
I remember my last day of high school, I was becoming burned out and wanted a break from school for at LEAST a week... this is not what I wanted
- krexcent
Trump's election in 2016 kicked my rear into gear. I figured he would make the US such an international pariah that Americans would no longer be able to travel. So in 2017 I traveled to 22 countries.
Looks like I was right; only a handful of countries want Americans now.
Not Exactly A Loner
That I'm nowhere as much of a loner as I thought I was. I may not be the most sociable person of the universe, but spending months holed up in my room with basically no IRL human contact got old fast.
People mistake introvert for no social interaction. We just don't like big crowds where everyone is yelling and you can't have a conversation and you don't know most people. What we want is a small close group of friends 1-5 other people we are very intimate and deep with.
90% of the introverts in my social circle feel this way. They still need some social contact now and then.
They just want to be able to do something low key 1-4x a month with friends, like invite them over for dinner, or play a boardgame.
Level Up
That the baseline on what I can handle has leveled up.
Same. I feel like my anxiety and depression got better compared to everyone else as I realised I am way stronger than I thought I was.
- pajamakitten
FaceChan
I remember my grandma telling me I shouldn't be a nurse on Facebook because I don't value "life" because I don't calculate my entire electoral vote on the single platform of being against abortion. Or her and her online friends bullying me for having a different, not racist opinion. I finally had to block grandma.
I still talk to my grandma, just not on Facebook.
- Azamaline
Everything Sucks But Its Pretty Great
This is going to come across as pretty insensitive, but life is pretty great right now. In 2020, the following things happened for my family:
- $20k raise
- Wife got a new job with a $15k raise
- Bought a new house
- Son with autism is making progress on speaking more clearly (because we're actually working on his speech therapy, unlike school and his speech therapist)
- Investments are doing great
- Weekly D&D game happens pretty reliably
- Alrik
I think 2020 shows us the great divide of the haves and have nots. Some people are really hurting right now. Others are totally fine or are thriving. You'll see more of one group than the other depending on your socioeconomic class.
- thelyfeaquatic
It's important to remember that while you're doing good and that's amazing, the reason Reddit is like this is because it's awful right now for a lot of if not most people.
You got a raise, but I lost my job to covid, had to pick up an extremely taxing Amazon job in the interim, my girlfriend is under extreme danger being locked down alone with untreatable depression, and I have to go into NYC twice a week soon for school, making me extremely vulnerable and unable to interact with anybody for a semester.
Just keep that in mind, I guess. I'm far from the only one
- arcrticphreese
A Hug
couple hug GIFGiphyHug your spouse more. Man on man woman on woman man on woman whatever hug those who are there for you. Wife's an ER nurse I'm a firefighter working through covid non sense. The forced quarantine after contact with a positive pt has ripped us apart. It's hard to cope when your coping mechanism is behind glass out of reach. Hug your peeps peeps .
- lldumbcloudsll
2021 Won't Make It Better
That people will genuinely believe bad events will end just because the year is over.
Its overwhelming how many times I hear things like: "omg I cant wait for 2021, everything will be a fresh start" or "2020 can just leave"
Like, what do you really expect? All issues reset every January the 1st? Wtf.
- InconspicuousCupboard
So true. I fully expect January+ to be horrible. Violent protests over the US presidential election, riots, panic and stress reactions as people go back to more public living/offices, a resurgence of COVID. There is no way '21 is going to start well. I just hope it ends well.
- drwhogwarts
Nah I'm Good
I'm just as much of an introvert as I thought I was.
Don't get me wrong, I like hanging out with friends and I'm a pretty social person these days when I'm in a social environment. But I don't need it. I had a lot of people going stir crazy around me for lack of in person social interaction a month or two into quarantine. I never got there.
- muroid
Same with me. I don't miss seeing people, I don't miss coworkers, I don't miss friends in person. I got stir crazy from staying in place but having a change of scenery occasionally is all I need :)
For keeping in touch with peeps, chatting online is enough for me. Some of my friends and colleagues were up the wall wanting to find ways to hang out or do stuff but, seems like they've gotten better at managing it.
- emwo
Same here. Being happily married helps, though. I think if I were alone, I would be craving the occasional face to face interaction, but as it is, I'm just fine only interacting with people on the phone, or on a Zoom call.
- nakedonmygoat
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The Oath
sir i queue better from a distance yo waddup elessar GIFGiphy"I have sworn an oath of solitude until the pestilence is purged from the lands."
The Box
There's an XKCD for that: https://xkcd.com/2346/
"Haunted plague box" is the best description of a house.
Roll camera...
"I'd love to meet, but I don't want to risk it. Do you want to video chat though?"
Yes oh god. Last year I moved from FL to CA and everyone back in FL wants to come visit. Like id love for everyone to come out but it's just not safe. They ask every few months and it's always the same answer: let's wait until spring next year.
Truth
Truth Reaction GIF by moodmanGiphy"I don't want to meet because I'm scared of Corona." jibsand
Just be upfront yeah. Sometimes I'll indicate it's because I see older relatives often to take the burden off of me a bit.
ZOOM
"Hey, I really want to hang out but I'm worried about the Corona Virus." If they're really your friend they'll respect your opinion. Then maybe suggest doing something like a zoom conversation or online game.
My friends and I meet on Zoom every week now. Sometimes we all start the same movie at the same time, sometimes we play games. We were all learning how to cook a dish together a few weeks ago. There are tons of options to get people together without seeing them in person yet, OP.
never too careful
I work in healthcare. Be cautious. We have regular meetings and emails where our doctors keep us up to date. There's so much we still don't know.
I almost died earlier this year and was (maybe still am) immuno compromised. I've chosen to self isolate as much as possible.
I recently had a coworker acquaintance harrass me about visiting me. She knows my situation but continued to insist it was ok for her to visit. I've never invited her over for various reasons. It got so bad that I had to block her.
My elderly disabled mom tested positive for covid-19 a week later. We aren't sure who infected her and she's currently in isolation. You can never be too careful.
"Be in"
Got a whole friend group who care about each other and want to take the most precautions we can to protect each other. Then there's one guy who's been teaching summer classes for children for the last three months who's always the first to "Be in," and constantly flaunts protections to the point those of us who are taking this seriously can't hang out without excluding him or hurting his feelings.
For Mom
Mothers Day Love GIF by Animation Domination High-DefGiphyI've had to tell my friends several times that despite wanting desperately to hang out with them, that I'm still paranoid about the virus and I don't want to risk getting my mom sick, so I've been staying self isolated.
Looking Back
Learning to advocate for my/your own health was very tough, but the rewards are limitless with effort.
On the few times I've been rebuffed, the response I give is, "I'd rather look back on this and say I'm embarrassed about how I overreacted than wish I hadn't let myself get so sick." That's placated everyone I've used it on.
Cut Ties....
cardi b ok GIF by PepsiGiphyI have cut ties with one friend during the lockdown because of this. She didn't freak out but she got snarky after I turned down her request to meet in a park for a walk. Then she became very weirdly passive-aggressive. I had been having issues with her before the pandemic, and realized I just had no interest in dealing with her weird personality anymore.
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