Single people during the lockdown, make some noise (from within the safety of your homes). This one’s for you.
With canceled activities, interrupted productions, closures of schools, and self-isolation, coronavirus has influenced people’s lives in many ways, including dating. Nothing kills the mood like a global pandemic.
Yeah, being single is not all that bad, but let’s just say that this whole social distancing situation hasn’t made it any easier.
Self-isolation is rough on everyone. Dating is hard enough as it is. In-person dates are no longer a viable option. Those searching for ‘the one’ might have to wait a little longer and just stay home knowing how irresponsible it is to meet a new partner right now. You might feel sad, you might even feel annoyed by the fact that it might be months until you can again experience human contact.
But do you think that you’re the only one out there without a quarantine bae? Certainly not.
And we’re here to prove it. If you’re single and not down to mingle, this list of super relatable moments will provide you with all the comfort you need by letting you know you’re not alone. We’re all suffering together.
1. As single people, you have too much time to talk but no one to talk to
Since you don’t have a lot to do, you pick up your phone to make a call here and there and then it hits you – no boo means no long calls. Supercard ke minutes khatam hi nae ho rahay yar.
2. All your taken friends are busy
You think, “So what if I don’t have a BF, I’ll just call my BFF,” only to realize they’re all busy talking to their significant others and you’re the only loner of the group.
3. As single people, you get calls from your taken friends about their problems…which makes no sense
Funny thing is, even though you’re single, you probably still have friends coming to you for love advice. You don’t mind though, because you are great at it.
4. But on the bright side, zero notifications means more battery life
You don’t really need to charge your phone that often because how much battery does scrolling consume?
5. You make food with a lot of effort but have no one to share it with
Since you don’t have anything else to do, you channel all that free energy into turning into a cook. And cooking really is a great life skill which everyone should pick up, but what would’ve made it even better would’ve been a quarantine partner to share it with.
6. You’ve watched one too many rom coms – you know, the ones that inspire hope in single people?
If one more person tells me to watch a show when I rant about being bored, we’re gonna sneak out of this lockdown just to smack them on the head. Yes, I have watched All The Bright Places, I also cried my eyes out and felt even lonelier, thank you for the suggestion.
7. Family gatherings get pretty annoying for single people
I mean I love my family but I really can’t bear another round of ludo with these people.
8. You’ve lost touch with the concept of time
Especially, if you live alone. Any time your lazy ass actually gets out of bed is to get something to eat. You hardly have any clue as to what day it is. Guess my routine just is to sleep, wake up, eat, think about how crappy my life is, and then sleep again. It’s okay though. Time is a social construct anyway.
9. Too much time for single people leads to remembering your exes
Yes, I understand that you’re bored but that isn’t enough of an excuse to get in touch with your shitty ex again. It’s a scary time, and people make bad decisions out of fear or anxiety. But don’t be one of them. Don’t reach out to an ex that you’ve already decided was bad for you, or was harmful or abusive in any way.
please don’t text ur ex kanjar please yar please
— 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘺𝘢 (@piinklatte) April 3, 2020
10. To swipe or not to swipe?
“Lemme take you out before corona does.” Ring any bells? Don’t try to pretend this is the first time you heard this pickup line. I know you got sucked into the vortex of dating apps and downloaded Tinder or are hitting people up on Instagram. I also know you’re sick of this phrase being the only bio people have there. Just admit it.
11. You try to find yourself a quarantine boo but you’re scared of commitment
So nothing else worked, and now you’ve resorted to finding yourself someone for only as long as the quarantine lasts. You’re bored all the time so you’re very active online and casually flirt here and there and none of it is serious, but who’ll explain that to them? Jeez, we’re not looking for a lifelong commitment!
12. As single people, you’ve realized online dating is kinda dangerous
The anxiousness can be too much to deal with. If they give you quick replies you think that’s just because they’re also bored. If they don’t you’re like, “It’s been 5 minutes…why aren’t you texting me back?? I know you at home chilling.”
You’re constantly stuck and there’s always the fear of not wanting to be the only person who falls because you don’t know their true intentions. What if they’re just doing this because they ran out of shows to binge-watch? But a healthier way to look at it is to realize that if the other person is patient enough to sit through it all and get to know you better without any hopes of meeting in the near future, they’re probably genuinely interested in you.
13. You have a new-found appreciation for having someone to face a scary future with
Looking at the bright side, this quarantine may have made you self-analyze and realize that you don’t wanna be alone, and that you’re ready for a relationship. During this time you’ve embraced the fact that you don’t wanna die alone and as soon as this is over, you definitely wanna go out to find ‘the one’.
14. The quarantine made you realize how lonely you are. If you don’t text, they don’t text
It’s normal to crave intimacy, to miss cuddling, to want someone to be there, but when you’re forced into isolation, it just gets to you, it multiplies and it brings up unexpected fears of abandonment and feelings of loneliness. It’s totally normal to feel negative emotions bubble up.
But for people who tend to be insecure or have abandonment issues, it’s important to know that so much of this occurs on an unconscious level and the level of anxiety and stress can be extraordinarily elevated when stressful circumstances arise, so remember to stay grounded.
15. You’re even more obsessed with your pets now
Ever since the quarantine, has there been a significant increase in the number of pictures you post of your cat on Instagram? Be honest.
On a serious note, there is, of course, a ton of privilege attached with these being the kind of problems we have to tackle and we must acknowledge that for sure.
However, this isolation has also made us learn a lot of new skills. We’ve stopped wasting time on people who may not matter, started calling our parents more, found new hobbies that we never found the time to try out. We found the time to discover new music, new passions, binge-watch shows, and movies, and even caught up with long-lost friends. And most importantly, we have learned the art of surviving on our own, however difficult it is.
Romance might be the last thing on your mind during this strange period of time, or it might be extra stressful right now. But it’s important for our collective mental health that we don’t let all this get to us. Isolation does crazy things to people, but remember you’re not alone. Whether you’re single, newly dating, or in a long-term commitment, there are ways to make the most of this time. Also, there are people out there who love you. It may not be “romantic” love, but it’s love nonetheless.
Cover image via 24 News HD