Quarantine Has Changed Us – And It’s Not All Bad

In her June 2020 article “Quarantine Has Changed Us – And It’s Not All Bad,” Vox reporter Sigal Samuel features testimonials from 100 Vox readers worldwide about the habits they hope to maintain after the pandemic. The testimonials describe positive coping strategies developed during quarantine, including reducing consumption, slowing down, prioritizing relationships, engaging in activism, exercising, cooking, growing food, spending more time in nature, and working from home. For instance, readers like Erin Brown from Illinois express renewed commitments to community activism in response to the summer 2020 protests against police brutality following the killing of George Floyd. Samuel emphasizes trends such as a conscious slowing down and a heightened awareness of one’s role in a connected world as key takeaways from the pandemic. Despite its devastation, the pandemic created space for reflection on what constitutes a meaningful life in the 21st century. Samuel reassures readers that even if no new outcomes arise, surviving such a challenging period should be celebrated.