For the past year, I have stayed mostly in Georgia. Except for the very rare adventure out from my hometown to another city/ county/ brief visit to a nearby state, I have remained at home.

For those trips, I drove myself, not having needed to travel another way.

During that time, gathering in large crowds were discouraged, social interaction was largely limited, and it seemed like it would be so long until we could gather together once again and resume normal, pre-COVID, activities.

However, I recently took a trip to Texas for military training. Due to the distance, I flew.

Even though airline travel has been up and running for some time now, I was still surprised how different it seems than before COVID, even though it was so similar to how it was before COVID.

Before COVID, I was used to the idea of large crowds at the check-in counter, cramped airplane seating, and long TSA lines.

However, getting back to ‘the new normal’ was pretty jarring.

When I was checking in my bags, it seemed like a million people were waiting in line. That was also the case at the TSA security checkpoint.

The signs recommending people stay distanced from one another were largely ignored in people’s rush to get through security and to their gate, which is understandable given the stress of meeting flight departure deadlines. However, I kept having to move a bit further away from others encroaching on my space, causing it to be a bit awkward, as they continued to inch closer and closer each time I moved.

Masks were required on the plane, however, making it seem a bit more comfortable being around so many other strangers.

Before COVID, middle seat passengers were mostly tolerated and the other passengers on the row did their best to accommodate them given the limited space available to all. However, during this trip, it was so stressful having to sit so close to a complete stranger for the entirety of the flight. To make matters worse, my neighbor was coughing nearly the entire time!

The sacredness of the middle armrest was also breached when the upper half of the passenger’s body repeatedly intruded into my space each time they dozed off.

As someone who has been accustomed to personal space being largely respected this past year due to recommendations and out of an abundance of caution, I was completely thrown for a loop. I’m simply not used to being this close to others.
It was also weird to see, once I arrived, the disparity between the establishments that require masks and those that don’t.
I do understand that mask regulations/recommendations are at the certain state’s discretion as well as that of certain businesses.

Nevertheless, I walked into Walmart last week and noticed a sign that stated that vaccinated customers do not have to wear facemasks in the store.

As I was vaccinated, I figured I would give not wearing a mask in a public space a chance. As much as the mask brings me a modicum of comfort, I do miss not needing to wear them in public.

I told myself that I would give not wearing a mask in public a chance. I walked into the store and, five seconds later, the mask went right back on again. Despite my attempt to go without a mask in a store, for me, wearing a mask feels too normal now.

I will, however, take off my mask if it is in an outdoor setting where I have the ability to keep my distance from others.
Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful that various spaces and locations are beginning to reopen more widely to the public and people are able to gather again. I myself have begun to venture out more and more, resuming activities I enjoyed pre-COVID with friends and family members.

However, I still find that I am cautious and personally not quite ready to give up my mask completely.

But I am so ready for the day, if it comes and if so, hopefully soon, when we can continue to our lives as they were before COVID-19, as best as we are able.

Erin Lopez recently graduated from Georgia College & State University with a Mass Communication major and too many minors. She loves to read, binge Netflix shows, and spend lots of time with her five cats.