Parties, parades, people, all the things we’re going to see when we come out of isolation, but is that really going to happen? We will celebrate and have parties and see each other and really behave differently after all this happened right? The truth is no… everyone will eventually just go back to the heads down in their phone regular lives and it will not take long.

Many people are getting outside and going on walks with family during this time which is great, but it also makes you wonder why a lot of us we’re not doing this before. It’s obvious that people are going on walks with their family much more than they were before, but the truth is that it will not continue.

Alyssa Stanton, a counselor at A-West shares her thoughts on what life might look like after isolation. “I do believe that after much time, we will go back to a “new normal.” I think we will be more cautious in social interactions for a bit, and maintain the safe “social distance” for some time.” She has a general feeling that while we will be more cautious of topics such as COVID-19, we will also develop a “new normal” after the situation.

While there is no denying that life will change for us in the future, there is also no denying that many aspects will be the same. We are coming together now and working together, but how long will that last coming out of isolation is the bigger question. Why have we never acted like this to each other before and why have we never come together like this as a nation before are two very big questions that are difficult to answer.

Donald Wahl, a psychology teacher at A-West explains that “you will be looking at both spectrums,” when asked about life after isolation. “Some will be going so nuts they will jump right back in. Others will be very cautious and wait and see.” He believes that while we will see both of these sides, the final outcome is simple. “It will be very interesting to see how we come out of this as a society and country.” Wahl also teaches history, which is why he knows “long term America is very resilient and will get back to normal and thrive but short term there will be some unforeseen effects.”

During isolation has been a calming time for many people like Wahl, who explains that he’s been doing ok during isolation. “I have always believed you have to make the best of any situation so that is what I am trying to do.” Like many people, Wahl is finding productive ways to cope with isolation, such as reading, crossword puzzles, and going on walks. However, even he agrees that for most people, this relaxing and self-healing time will not last.

So, eventually, we will get through this, and life will be different, but it really will not be that different. Right now we are all stuck at home, spending time with our family, going on walks, finding fun and creative ways to cope, and having time to think, but we will forget about it once we come out of isolation because we just will not care. Wahl summarizes the idea up well saying,  “I am not naive enough to think this will last. Eventually, we will get back to the old normal of heads down in the cell phone and being distracted by anything but our own thoughts.”