Now That We Can Finally Go Out, Why Do I Actually Hate It?

In her post-pandemic article “Now That We Can Finally Go Out, Why Do I Actually Hate It?” from the summer of 2022, Vice News reporter Koh Ewe reflects on the challenges of re-entering society after lockdowns. Ewe opens with, “It’s been a long pandemic. From its early days of Zoom parties to the social distancing we know all too well, we’ve all gotten used to the ‘new normal’ that once left many antsy.” She describes the difficulty many face in adjusting to unrestricted socializing, a stark contrast to the stifling, yet predictable, routines of quarantine. The story is structured around firsthand accounts of Ewe’s coworker, Therese Reyes, who shares her exhaustion after socializing, even with friends and family, while clinical psychologist Annabelle Chow highlights how even a long-awaited transition can be jarring, normalizing feelings of social exhaustion and anxiety while offering validation and advice. Although the pandemic disrupted life, it also imposed a routine many now find hard to abandon. The narrative contrasts characters’ routines before and after the pandemic, such as Reyes, who once went out on Fridays but now prefers staying in. This tension highlights the broader cultural shift caused by the pandemic and its disruption of social habits. The central theme revolves around the “new normal” that has emerged in the wake of COVID-19, especially the tension between longing for social connection and the comfort of solitude.