Everyone is looking forward to the end of the stay at home order and a cure for the global pandemic. However, what will it be like when things ultimately return to normal?
Throughout this shelter in place, many have turned to Netflix and other streaming services for entertainment, as well as social media to stay connected. I assume that there will be a decline in online activity, as people will flood outdoors to make the most of the time they missed while staying home.
Though there will almost definitely be a decline in online activity, how drastic will this decline be? I think that, at least for teenagers, they will be so happy to be able to be social and go outside that the use of social media will take a downward plunge. I hope that people stop posting and focus more on the experiences that they once took for granted before the pandemic. At least for me, I have realized that there was so much more that I should have appreciated before the stay at home order that I wish I could do now. When things eventually return to normal, I hope I will be so tired of my phone and social media that I won’t feel the need to check it anymore.
On the contrary, it is also possible for the lift on the shelter in place to have the opposite effect on social media usage. With everyone going out and socializing, they may feel the need to post about how much fun they are having, or just going to places with pretty views to take pictures.
It is also possible that there will be a divide in members of social media. Some may completely stop using it. Some may severely cut back, remain the same, or become way more active. However, I hope that everyone will take more time to appreciate the freedom of going outside and being social after quarantine.
I know it is common among our generation to post everything and anything, but hopefully, this pandemic would show us how unimportant our online reputation is.
