From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to today, almost everything in our lives has changed. Socialization is crucial to the development of life as a whole. Society transitioned from being able to easily spend time with one another without fear to social distancing and never leaving the house without a mask. Spending time with others is a pattern that continues to evolve as the pandemic continues.

With the evolution of this pandemic, there have been lots of changes to daily life. Thankfully, due to the COVID-19 vaccination, life seems to be slowly moving towards normality. The new normal has changed many things, including the social patterns of the younger generations.

Before COVID-19, many teens would spend their free time after school at hangout places such as local stores and restaurants. These places would get most of their business after school when all the children hung out at their businesses. These practices now rarely exist, as many places still haven’t opened their in-store dining due to COVID-19 regulations. Most teens have changed their plans to cope with the pandemic.

This pandemic has not only affected the socialization of teenagers and young children but adults as well. Adults are spending more time at home than ever, with each day of the pandemic growing longer. More time is being spent working from home on a computer screen. These practices have prevented adults from engaging with one another.

Socialization is an important part of growing older and moving on with life. With all the hardship of the past two years, it can be difficult to find hope and joy. We’re not always able to participate in the activities we used to before the pandemic, but we can still find activities that bring us joy. There are many safe ways to connect with people. A simple phone call and safe hangout spaces are steps in that direction. It’s important to put your mental health and the physical health of those around you first.