6 things you’ll only know if you’re already nervous about your diary filling up
It just feels too soon… doesn’t it?!
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Your support makes all the difference.When your diary has been empty save for the odd Zoom call every now and again, filling it back up is mostly exciting but can also cause a good deal of anxiety too.
Just the thought of getting back to our hectic social routines feels like one big emotional rollercoaster and we’re terrified we’ve forgotten how to be smart, funny, interesting human beings.
If this sounds like your current internal dilemma, you’ll probably relate to some of the points on this list….
1. Every time you commit to a plan, a little part of you freaks out
There are so many stages to making plans – even simple ones like going to the pub – that you never really thought about before. There’s the stress of planning your transport, the fear of making sure you have a clean outfit ready and the utterly bizarre thought of having to pack a handbag.
Oh and let’s not forget the genuinely terrifying task of socialising with people. After months of sitting alone in sweatpants with nothing to do and nobody to hang out with, it’s no real surprise that having a life again feels kind of terrifying.
2. You’re already keeping some weekends free for self-care
Despite the loneliness of the pandemic, seeing your precious Saturdays get swallowed up by weddings and birthday drinks is already quite alarming.
You’ve decided the best way to handle restrictions lifting is to ease yourself back into the world of socialising slowly and carefully. Right now, there’s a giddy kind of pressure to say ‘yes’ to everything that comes your way, but the last thing you want to do is overcommit and burnout before summer’s even here.
3. There are some people you actually don’t want to see
Let’s face it, we all have those people in our lives that are a bit of a chore to hang out with. You might have actually enjoyed having a year off from spending time with them.
But as fate would have it, they just happen to be one of the first people to slide into your DMs and invite you over for garden catch-up drinks. Send help.
4. You’re already stressing about what to wear
Clothes and trends are something you haven’t had to worry about for a while, so now you have the overwhelming task of planning a full spring/summer wardrobe.
You have no idea what’s in style anymore, let alone if any of your ‘normal’ clothes still fit you, but you’ve already signed up to a bunch of different events so you better start moodboarding on Pinterest ASAP.
5. You’re preemptively feeling annoyed about your bank balance
You’re already starting to resent how much money you’re going to be spending on tickets to bottomless brunch.
You’re genuinely nervous that the excitement and activities of summer could cause you to spend frivolously and undo all the good work you did getting your finances in order over the last year (furlough and job difficulties aside). Let’s hope your pals are up for some cheap drinks in your garden – or you might have to rethink the friendship.
6. You’re already planning some conversation starters
Call us crazy, but in-person social interaction is pretty awkward right now. You struggle to make light-hearted conversation with your local barista in masks, so goodness knows how you’ll manage a whole day of chit chat with people you care about.
Fortunately, you’ve got a handy trick up your sleeve. Rather than relying on your rusty social skills, you’ve prepared some stock questions to ask your mates, should you suddenly run out of conversation. From learning about their all-time favourite films to sharing interesting facts about yourselves, you’re fully expecting the first outing to feel like an awkward icebreaker activity at a work away day.
And on that note, you’re treating it a bit like work by mandating start and end times to socialising. There’s only so much fun we can take before we want to go home, put on our tracksuit and re-watch Tiger King all over again.