Perhaps the hardest thing many of us have had to accept about being in quarantine as a result of the coronavirus pandemic is the postponement of life plans both big and small.
I was going to spend more time in Europe for work, for instance, and was prepared to make some necessary moves on the career front. Now that everything has been shutdown and I'm home, I've had more time to reflect (which is fine) but it doesn't make what could have been any less disappointing. But such is life, right? There are so many things over which we have little or no control.
After Redditor ShadowDragon0001 asked the online community, "What has quarantine ruined for you?" people opened up and shared all the things they've had to miss out on while in isolation.
"I was trying to transition..."
I was trying to transition out of my current career when this whole thing came down. Now all that's on hold for several months.
"If it's not..."
Dating has become pretty ruined for me. If it's not someone freaking out about the virus it's someone who completely doesn't believe in it. Weird times, just gonna stay at home and grow my garden.
"I love my friends..."
Funnily, social media. Ever since this has all happens I've retreated into myself. I stopped checking all social media and just used less interactive ones like Reddit & Youtube.
I love my friends, but I can't bring myself to catch up on mundane quarantine BS right now.
"People."
People. I work in a convenience store during the graveyard shift and there were tons more people during the "lockdown" coming in with all their kids at night for snacks and letting their kids touch everything, and people have been in general way more rude to me.
"Had major surgery..."
My surgical recovery. Had major surgery on both my jaws on 14th February, a couple of weeks before my first check up lockdown started. My follow ups (at two separate hospitals with two separate doctors) were both rescheduled like three times and eventually I got a meeting set up with the surgeon on April 1st.
I hadn't had anything looked at post surgery for a month and a half, I couldn't eat because the plastic holding my teeth in place wasn't removed yet, so I'd been living almost exclusively on scrambled eggs.
On March 31st I got a phone call from the surgeon saying that they'd have to postpone our meeting the next day. I very nearly had a complete meltdown. He asked how I was coping with recovery and I told him that it wasn't going as well as possible because I couldn't eat.
My appointment went forward April 1st as planned because the surgeon was appalled about the fact that I'd not had any kind of post surgery check up. Poor man was in the full bee keeper suit but I've been able to eat and brush my teeth.
"I studied many years..."
I studied many years for my PhD and was supposed to have a fancy ceremonial defense in the Netherlands in a building hundreds of years old and a committee with funny hats and friends and family all over. We did it virtually last week and of course it was a fun day, but no way in person wouldn't have been cooler. Also, the worst part was the internet cut out for my promoter just when they announced the doctorate in his entire neighborhood, so we missed the traditional speech he would have made about our time together. :(
Also, wedding celebration has been delayed from this summer to August 2021.
"The thought that home schooling..."
The thought that home schooling my children may actually be better for our collective mental health. Turns out, my little social butterflies don't really handle being alone, and I'm exhausted of being mom, teacher, and best friend 24/7. I can't wait for fall...
"I swear..."
My social skills. I swear if I were to see my friends now, I would not know how to act around them anymore.
"Job opportunities..."
Job opportunities—basically the professional career I worked years to achieve has been stolen from me.
"Considering a symphony..."
Symphony.
Considering a symphony consists of a lot of people grouped together performing for a lot of people grouped together, I've not been able to play music with anybody for months now.
Do you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "
" to +1 (310) 299-9390 to talk to him about it.
Redditor Fl1p1 wanted to talk about the times movies left us in tears, so they asked:
"Which movie has the saddest ending of all time?"
I've shed so many tears in theaters. I can't keep track.
But I will say one word... "Titanic."
Knock Out
morgan freeman boxing GIFGiphy"Million Dollar Baby."
thesweet_submissive
"Damn, I was gonna say the same. I went in blind and that sad ending hit me like a truck. I wept so much alone in my room. The only movie to evoke such a strong emotion from me."
if**kbarney
I Love Literature
"Of Mice and Men."
3BlindMonks
"Oof we had to read the book in high school, and we read THAT part aloud in class. Before we began, the teacher gave a tissue box to each row of desks, and all us teens were like 'that’s a bit dramatic isn’t it haha.'"
"Then while reading that scene, most of the class ended up either quietly crying or at least visibly sad. I love literature, i majored in English, and I know reading isn’t everyone’s cup of tea; to see a novel move the ones that didn’t even enjoy literature to begin with was truly inspiring. I think seeing a novel move people so drastically is what really pushed me into creative writing."
gothboob69
So... Moving
"Where the red fern grows."
Fun-Training-6241
"I had a sociopath for a 6th grade English teacher that made the class take turns reading this book aloud. So cruel. Everyone was choked up."
WhiskyNerdFAF
"It was actually the VERY ending that got to me, where he's talking about wishing how he could go back and visit his old stomping grounds and maybe find a 2 bit axe with a rusty lantern hanging off of it. I grew up in the woods and seeing evidence of your old past self still preserved is so... moving."
spazmatt527
I'm Tired Boss
"The Green Mile."
Short_Perspective72
"I'm tired, boss. Tired of bein' on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. Tired of not ever having me a buddy to be with, or tell me where we's coming from or going to, or why. Mostly I'm tired of people being ugly to each other."
Johnny_Grubbonic
"Saw it in the movies. Everyone in the theater cried. Even when the credits started to roll and the lights went on, we all sat there for a couple minutes collecting ourselves. Hadn’t seen anything like that, before or since then."
DopeCharma
Bye Jenny
Academy Awards Film GIF by CBSGiphy"Forrest Gump. I wouldn’t say it is the 'saddest' however the ending where they visit Jenny’s grave, gets me every time."
Emeraldfox_5
"The part where Bubba dies got me even more."
RandomMemer_42069
Forrest Gump always sets the tears flowing.
A Hard Hit
ewan mcgregor popcorn GIFGiphy"Big Fish... Fantastic movie. I generally don't do emotional with movies but damn this one hit hard. Probably topped my childhood tears of Optimus Prime being killed off in the Transformers movie when I was a kid."
sirandtheirDLW
Family Fun?
"My Girl."
longtallsally15
"On Weekends my dad always looked into the tv magazine and chose a kids movie for us to watch. No warning for it, just 'lovely movie for the whole family.'"
"So me, overly empathic 7 year old watched it… and ended up crying for like 2 hours. My father ended up calling the magazine hotline to yell at them. Since then I spoil myself with endings. Unless I know it has a good ending I just can‘t watch movies."
kamalaophelia
Gut Wrenching
"Life is Beautiful."
mazlow01
"Gawd that movie is so hard to watch but is so amazing."
PirateJohn75
"I literally just saw a clip of this movie in a documentary of where he goofily goose steps around the corner in front of his son with a nazi behind him a couple of days ago and just burst into tears. That movie is gut wrenching."
ArmadilloNext9714
"Also my answer. As a Jew who lost ancestors in the Holocaust, that movie had a physical impact on me."
CommissarCiaphisCain
Bad History
"Bridge to Terabithia."
OkFineBanMe68
"I knew nothing about the movie or book when I went in so it was a huge surprise to me and honestly it tore me to pieces when it played out."
Malikhi
"I read that book in school. Didn’t like it. Movie came out and my mom was like hey that was a school book we should go see it. I said nah no thanks I was a kid when I read it I’ll pass."
"She says fine takes my younger brother (4years younger than me so maybe 10 at this time) and two of my cousins (10 and 8) and my aunt."
"My mom came home so upset and I was just hangin' on the couch. She started yelling at me asking why I didn’t warn them and how come I let them go see that stupid movie. I got grounded for it."
VolubleWanderer
Value
"Schindler’s List."
"Though 1100 Jews were saved, Schindler broke down and mourned over not saving more. Instead of patting himself on the back about what he achieved, he came to understand the value of human life and wished he had done more."
Breathtaking
Great Job Congrats GIF by Cappa Video ProductionsGiphy"The Whale recently. The reveal of the letter had me shattered."
bharatchipkar6
The Whale was a lot. But beautiful. See it.
Do you have any to add? Let us know in the comments.
"What is the dumbest thing men associate their masculinity with?"
Nothing Screams "Manly" Like A Sunburn...
"Not wearing sunscreen."
"I can’t count the number of times people seem shocked I’m wearing it."- ImperialCapybara
Real Men Don't Need To Hear What You're Saying...
"My grandpa was nervous about his hearing aids being 'too feminine'.”- professionalDrTalker
In With The Wrong Crowd...
"I said I’m gonna get some drinks and got called 'gay' because saying drinks instead of a drink wasn’t masculine enough."- Breakfastbaconat0r
Happy Hour Dancing GIF by New GirlGiphy"I'm A Man, I Know When I'm Sick!"
"Not Going to a doctor when something seems wrong."- icomefromjupiter
Unless You're Superman, Even So...
"Not protecting yourself from easily-mitigated hazards."
"Silicosis risk?"
"Dustmask."
"Driving?'"
"Seatbelt."
"Skin cancer?"
"Sunscreen."
"Imagine thinking you’re tougher than the f*cking sun."- Ludwigofthepotatoppl
Season 4 Hospital GIF by NBCGiphyUm...
"I recall a tourist local once fighting a crocodile for a girl's number."
"He lost, but the girl still agreed to a date."- Ok-Seaworthidssw
No Grip Needs To Be That Firm!
"Trying to crush someone’s hand when handshaking.''
"There is a difference between greeting and assault."- SuvenPan
Have They Never Seen A James Bond Movie?
"Lacking hygiene."
"I've encountered guys who bragged about never washing their hands."
"I specifically remember seeing some opinion piece shared on Facebook about how women tend to prefer men who take care of their skin."
"First comment was some boomer posting a selfie saying, 'I've never used moisturizer, this is what a rEaL MaN looks like!'"
"Setting aside that this dude predictably looked like a sunburnt dipsh*t, it was such a pathetic thing to be proud of."-R1DER_of_R0HAN
Hungry Henry Danger GIF by NickelodeonGiphyNothing Says Grown Up Like Playing Video Games All Night...
"Getting proper sleep."
"I often have issues going to sleep and some days I just stare at the ceiling for 5 hours rather then sleep."
"I tell people if I seem a bit off I didn't get any sleep."
"A lot of the times I have a guy call me a p*ssy because he purposely stayed up late to play video games or hitting the town."
"I'm sorry I like to feel well rested."- Vexonte
Some Role Model...
"Being an incompetent father."
"You have four kids and you've never changed a diaper?"
"That's not a brag, dude."- doghorsecatbaby
Unless He Actually Likes Being Wet...
"My dad will claim he doesn't need an umbrella because 'real men' don't need them."
"Ok dad."- spidergirl79
Raining Weather Report GIFGiphyBeige On The Inside And The Outside
"Wearing certain colors."- Tubie123
We Hear You!
"Being loud."
"Men think adding volume to their voices helps their masculinity and dominance."
"But there's nothing more threatening looking than my 5'7 male boss walking in Stealth Mode with a crow bar to go get something unstuck from a machine."
"He's more intimidating in those moments than any man who has ever yelled in my presence."
"It's fine to be naturally loud by default."
"I'm that way."
"It's when men will try to use loudness as an intimidation tactic against others."- DarkInkPixie
loud noises anchor man GIF by FirstAndMondayGiphyIt's sad to think men will and won't do so many things for fear of being judged.
Particularly as any real "man" knows that, as long as they are treating others with kindness, other people's opinions are meaningless.