With the never-ending pandemic, 2019 seems like it happened ages ago. Haih...all the things we used to do seem ancient today — nostalgic almost! Bet you miss doing these things freely without worrying about getting sick huh?
Here’s a list of things we USED TO be able to do:
1. Going to eat at mamaks
Being in Malaysia, mamak is a big part of our culture. There’s always that special spot in your favourite mamak place that you would sit at and get annoyed when someone stole “your spot”. All the late hangouts until 4am or the drunk visits to mamak after a night of partying seemed so long ago. During football season, people used to gather at the mamak to watch the matches and the atmosphere was always so exciting with all the loud cheers and clapping! “Teh-o-limau ais besar dan maggi goreng double satu!”
2. Going to night markets
Ah~ the smell of chou tou fu and laksa. Weekly night markets like Taman Connaught and Sri Petaling always have big crowds. All the good and cheap food lined up where vendors yell out to attract customers, the flashy signs and good bargains that you’d have to work hard to haggle for feels like forever ago. Now all you do is surf on Shopee or Lazada for good deals.
3. Being on campus
Pretty sure a lot of students from universities and colleges miss going to campus. The vibe of studying in a classroom where you can easily chat with your friends and get help from lecturers (without emailing them) was so drastically different as compared to going for online classes now.
For those of you who just entered college or university, it’s so unfair that your on-campus experiences are robbed from you and that you have to go online for everything! The struggles of online classes are very frustrating especially during group assignments or when you’re trying to make friends in a class where you don’t even see your classmates’ faces.
4. Travelling
THIS IS THE ONE EVERYONE 100% MISSES. For some people, travelling is a necessity in their business plans. Hence with the pandemic, they are forced to move their business communications online. Some have even lost their business partners/plans because they could not travel!
For others, travelling used to be a relaxing thing to do with loved ones or just a reward to yourself for working hard all year. Ah…the smell of airplanes and the feeling of first stepping foot in another country.
5. Road trips
Road trips used to be a way to unwind and explore local destinations. The joy of planning a staycation with friends or family before getting into the car, blasting music while talking nonsense as you guys head to your destination. The best road trips are spontaneous ones! You and your friends just randomly cruising before randomly deciding to go to Genting just for the cold air in the middle of the night.
6. Going to the cinema
Well, at one point cinemas were open BUT everyone had to sit far apart due to social distancing. Going to the cinema NORMALLY seems ancient now. Last time, you probably would have booked the whole middle row seating for your gang of friends and then just walk in like a boss, conquering the whole row!
Also, going on cinema dates is a classic and you get to discreetly hold hands while watching movies. The loud sound effects and the big screen just cannot compare to the small laptop screens we have at home.
7. Going to theme parks
One of the major outdoor attractions a lot of people miss going to is THEME PARKS! The fun and joy of exploring attractions with friends and screaming in a haunted house were so exciting. Now all the theme parks are closed and empty. Don’t you just miss the feeling of forgetting everything that existed outside the theme park where the only worry was how long the queue would last?
8. Music Festivals / Concerts
The annual Good Vibes Festival that is held in Genting or the Rainforest Festival in Kuching were major events for Malaysians. The star-studded line-ups that you and your friends would jam out to while dancing in a giant crowd of people till the wee hours in the morning.
Before the pandemic hit, there were a lot of major concerts scheduled for 2020 and many were excited for them. Some had already bought tickets such as the Khalid Free Spirit World Tour, Jay Chou Carnival World Tour, and GOT7 Spinning World Tour (Ah~ T.T GOT7 disbanded before they even came to Malaysia for the world tour). A lot of concerts were either cancelled or rescheduled for 2022 so hopefully, we’ll get to go soon!
9. Visitings during festive seasons
Festive seasons just aren’t the same anymore. Visitations were always fun, but tiring. But who doesn’t love it when you get money packets or gifts from friends and relatives? A lot of people haven’t been able to see their families as they’re in a faraway place because of the pandemic. Festive seasons are times to spend with your loved ones, eat home-cooked foods and gamble your money away. I almost miss dealing with the yearly “eh why you still single?” questions from my annoying aunties.
Lastly, something that EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE WORLD MISSES:
10. Not wearing masks
About a year ago, no one had to wear masks to go anywhere. You could just roam around without hand sanitisers or fear. For those who always wear makeup, people would compliment how your highlight looks on point. You had great skin and a bright smile but now, masks cause acne breakouts and no one can tell the expression on your face. Bet you don’t even remember how it feels like to not wear masks now, eh?
How long will it be before we get to do any of these things again? All we know is that when we finally can, we won’t be taking them for granted!
Also read: Road Rage Lady Apologises While UPM Opens Investigation For Further Action
