What will you miss about the lockdown?
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După zece ani (1971) Eugenia Guțu
I love my flat and where I live in central London, but the crowds of tourists and shoppers can make the streets unbearable (it was not always like this in the past.) What I will miss most about the lockdown is the empty streets and the peace, and how clean the city has become. I hope the tourists never come back in such huge numbers as before.
Adam. London, United Kingdom
The incentive to check in with people more often.
Jiska. Oslo, Norway
Not having an excuse for not going to events, meetings or just meeting people you don’t really want to see! Having an excuse for not having a haircut, but for us, actually seeing the lockdown end and being able to adjust to a ‘normal’ life will be something we won’t miss about lockdown
Fred & Jo. London, UK
The silence on the street. The feeling of quietness.
Ana. Bucharest, Romania.
The quietness that enters the house once we open the windows towards a busy street.
Adina. Deva, Romania.
Going to the cinema, feeling alive while hunting at a flea market sitting in a dark corner of a bar with a friend. I do not miss crowds or Gallery Openings.
Birgitte. Oslo, Norway.
Tranquillity
Kirsten. Oslo, Norway
The limitations mean that we cannot go anywhere in a relaxed way anymore. We live very close to Maastricht and we used to visit the market there to relax. My husband is disabled and cannot walk for a long time, but now the hospitality sector is closed there are very few opportunities for him to sit down and rest.
Anne. Tongeren, Belgium
No.
Randi. Oslo, Norway
the sensation of suspension, like in Bosch garden of earthly delights
Ingrid. Milan, Italy.
A different and strengthened sense of community. That one more often both sent and received text messages or phone calls were someone asked “How are you”?
Ida. Halden, Norway
NOTHING!
If (? when) the pandemic is over, I may be able to find something to be positive about lockdown but not while I’m living through it!
Pauline. London, UK
The peace of the city, the voluntary work I did for seniors (with a local non governmental organisation) and which made me feel useful, the free online broadcasts from Vienna State Opera, the shopping I did for older friends who were not allowed to go out and the fact that, by doing this, I saw them more often, the feeling that I had a lot of free time and, at the same time, the anxiety that made me not use this free time as I could have done it.
Nicoleta. Bucharest, Romania.
The reduced road traffic, the lack of noise and of emissions.
Manuela. Bucharest, Romania.
Not much - I’d rather it was over. I want to see friends, go to gatherings and events, travel again…
Is there anything?
Quieter streets I guess & I can’t remember the last time I had to walk through someone’s sickly sweet vape cloud - which had been becoming a thing on the streets….urgh!
Adam J. London, United Kingdom
The lockdown had different phases for me. I will miss the first one the most. The time of stillness when the regular cultural and social practices got disarmed. When, out of a sudden, there were no little purposes regulating our everyday - no school, no deadlines, no immediate shopping or filling out the tank. Instead, there was simply “being”.
An. Lublin, Poland.
No, no, a hundred times no. Distance, loneliness, masks and fear of contamination. Not a nice time. They say new this will pass, but at my age, I do not have much time. It would have been nice to be able to enjoy life now that I could still walk, see, hear and remember. This paper is difficult to write on.
Eivind. Oslo, Norway
The unavoidable encouragement to think of something to do – a challenge, as I rely quite a bit on going out!
Jane. London, UK
I will miss the fact that there was almost no traffic, no cars no planes in the daytime it was so quiet the kids could even play in the street...
because all non food shops were closed we also saved money we did spent a lot less even though we thought we were living sober, on the other hand it was much more stressy time at home with a teenage daughter that had to follow online school and didn't want to do that at all there were a lot of fights and anger and emotions ....so the quiet from outside was blown away by the noise inside our house.
Lin. Lauw (Tongeren), Belgium.
The quiet streets where you can cycle around without mad traffic
Eszter. London, UK
I will miss reading for almost 8 hours a day. I was in South Africa when the country went into a complete lockdown. You could only leave the house for essential shopping or for medical help. I work for a US company, so my day only started at 4pm. I had 8 glorious hours to read. Also, since we were not allowed outside, I used to run in my 10 meter long driveway. Ran a half marathon as the Rorschach from Strava attests!
Natalia. San Francisco, USA
The quietness of the city.
Pop. Timisoara, Romania.
The fact that celebrity status got regulated to its proper place – behind scientists, healers and environmentalists – at least for 3 months. What exactly are the Kardashians bringing to our Gaia Ascension anyway?
The focus shifted but i’m not sure if it was for long enough…
Julia. London, United Kingdom
the lack of traffic. the time I get to spend with my partner and our pets.
Vlad. Bucharest, Romania.
No, that.. Or, maybe. Or no, not miss. But right when it all happened, I thought it was nice that life was put on hold. Less demands, expectations, less external stimuli and FOMO. This has led me to cherish my normal life to a greater extent, so I will not miss the crisis.
Frøya. Oslo, Norway
not much. I’m sure we have learnt some lessons about ourselves + society though. But no need to miss these if we make the effort to put the lessons into good use.
Ben & Charlotte. London, UK
Hi! I will miss spending time with my teenage son. He spent more time at home, and I did too. I will miss the experience of us working together as a collective. I will miss feeling free from the time squeeze. Best, Linda.
Linda. Halden, Norway
The quiet and the lesser traffic. I really dislike car traffic. And I really dislike crowded shops.
Sara Melbourne, Australia.
Outings, friends, gym
Elena. Bucharest, Romania.
Hi Inge,
What I will miss the most about the lockdown will be
· the clear sky
· the absence of urban noise
(planes particularly) and the clean air.
Take care Teresa
Teresa. London, United Kingdom
I miss the quietness of the streets - with almost no private cars - and the fresh air (as a result of lack of traffic). Walking and cycling was so much easier, more enjoyable and less stressful than during the “normal” traffic.
Riitta. Brussels, Belgium (and Helsinki, Finland).
I will miss working from home. Sitting at our balcony in the sun while taking a break. Being able to do the laundry or the dishes between meetings. Or a nap in the middle of the day. I will also miss the quietness of the city. And the empty bicycle lanes.
Stine. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Having been forced to have this much free time and organise your life on short-term and long-term. I will miss this psychological quietness and lack of disruption.
Andrei. London, United Kingdom
Hi, Gabriela
During the lockdown I liked the silence, then I observed the cleanliness, then I enjoyed the lack of [car] incidents. For a while I liked all these, then I started to get scared of the dense silence from outside. I liked the fact that people moved in a different dimension. I needed action, I felt like an animal in a cage, which did not know who is the master and was looking for it. During that time it seemed to me that the time is without ending and that I had peace for many things, some of them new… With all of this, I will not miss the lockdown. I feel the lockdown/ it was just a trial!
Rodica. Bucharest, Romania.
No aeroplanes overhead
The lack of traffic in the city
The remarkably clean air
The sound of birdsong as spring advanced
The feeling of camaraderie that grew between neighbours
The kindness of people we barely know – especially the car park attendants.
Frank. London, UK
I used to be able to see the entire city of Oslo, the fjord and the great sky. Now I only see a lumpy mass of concrete, called “The Barcode”, but I can still see the sky.
Steffen. Oslo, Norway
Seeing my family.
Social events: getting together with friends for lunch/dinner; live music; theatre.
Training in the local gym.
The general hubbub of London which I love. The ease of moving around on public transport.
Sandra. London, UK.
No, no, a hundred times no. Distance, loneliness, masks and fear of contamination. Not a nice time. They say new this will pass, but at my age, I do not have much time. It would have been nice to be able to enjoy life now that I could still walk, see, hear and remember. This paper is difficult to write on.
Eivind. Oslo, Norway
