The Pandemic-Restricted Activities We Miss
Every week at The Clubhouse, we pose a question on our big conversation board about what’s been on the radar for our members lately. This is designed to not only spark conversations and encourage collaboration, but to also allow us to better know our community members in a fun and unique way. Last week, we were curious about the pandemic-restricted activities our members miss the most.
Of those who participated, we found that concerts, traveling, going to the theaters, and attending sports games – in-person – were among the most popular activities that people can’t wait to have back.
While a lot of in-person activities are still prohibited and/or restricted, most of the above are now becoming more available, but in different COVID-safe forms. Late last year, Warner Brothers announced that they will be releasing their 2021 blockbuster movies via HBOMax, allowing us to watch new movie releases from the comfort and safety of our homes. Movie theaters, like the IPIC in Midtown Atlanta, now offer theater rentals for private showings with limited in-person capacities (also known as “pods”) to ensure the safety of patrons. Last October, Atlanta rap and hip-hop hometown hero Big Boi gave fans the option to see him in concert in “pods” at the Centennial Olympic Park. Then, SiriusXM launched the NextWave Concert Series last November, which allowed fans to tune in to six virtual concerts across music genres over three consecutive weeks. In the video game realm, esports specifically saw a rise in participation from people all over the world with its industry value now being projected to a whopping baseline of $1.8 billion by 2022.
Whether it’s a walk around the neighborhood, a trip to the grocery store, or picking up food from a local restaurant, even the simplest things feel like a luxury nowadays. But thanks to technology and companies innovating their products to meet our needs for a change of scenery and feelings of “normalcy”, concerts, movies, and sports are still accessible in a makeshift way. What do you miss the most about pre-pandemic life? Let us know in the comments below.
DID YOU KNOW?
“Zoom fatigue” is a COVID-19-induced phenomenon that describes the weariness and burnout associated with overusing video conferencing platforms. Google searches for the phrase reached its peak last year between April 6 - May 2, 2020.