10 Things I Want To Do When COVID-19 Is Over

10 Things I Want To Do When COVID-19 Is Over

Before COVID-19 started and the pandemic went full on, I cannot tell how many times I cancelled plans, rescheduled, decided I did not want to go out. Now that I have been cooped up in a tiny New York City flat on the 20th floor for almost two months, I so regret that behavior! Really! I wish I accepted those invites and went out. I wish that, despite my days of party girls being behind me, I did go to that night out in a dodgy club in Brooklyn. Basically, I wish I did all those 10 things I now want to do when COVID-19 is over.

How do I miss being outside, enjoying the sun and the nice spring weather in NYC. And all those cafés and bars I could randomly decide to go to. Or the freedom of walking around. Oh do I miss just walking on the street, go for a run, and hang out at Barnes & Noble to browse and smell the books (don’t judge me). COVID-19 put everything in perspective. So I cannot guarantee I am gonna make the most of everything NYC has to offer but I will be more open to new things and going outside.

I got this 10 things I want to do when COVID-19 is over blog post idea from Jenny in Neverland. And just so you know, as I am writing this blog post, I also had one glass of Prosecco and I am onto my second one… on an empty stomach. And thus, I might be a bit tipsy!

1. Explore New York City Fully

First of those 10 things I want to do when COVID-19 is over. May 1st marked one year of me moving to New York City. I have been in the US for one full year. To be honest, it went in a finger snap. Last summer was an absolute blast. I was not working as I was waiting for my work permit to clear so I had a lot of time to explore the city. Which I did. Along with learning German and making new friends. However, I have to admit that I still did not explore New York City that much.

Sure, I hanged out in both the West and East Village. Plus, I walked around Midtown a lot, explored Central Park and did quite a few photoshoots in the Upper East Side. I also completed some of the must-do touristy bits. But beyond that? I have not been to Queens, Harlem or the Bronx. The Upper West Side? I barely saw it! Brooklyn? Brighton Beach, Dumbo and a tiny bight of Williamsburg, that’s it.

Did I do any of the super cool rooftop bars of Brooklyn? No. Did I check out some of the coolest restaurant of the city? Nope. I feel like I have missed out and that there is a lot more to NYC than the Instagrammable places I have been to. I just did not expect that first year to end with a lockdown due to COVID-19.

2. Get Back To The Gym

Back in January, I subscribed to the gym. I mostly did it for health reasons: my cystic ovaries cannot be treat with hormonal treatments because of my migraines with aura. Losing weight and exercising was the best course of action. And that’s what I did for two months. It felt great. Honestly. I was energized, I lost weight, I felt better in my body. But the lockdown put a stop to all this.

I did exercise outside at the beginning but it was a health hazard with everybody heavily breathing in my face on the river bank. Thus, I just stopped working out altogether. Unfortunately, indoor fitness does not work for me. And thus, I got all the weight I had lost back. Aren’t we back at square one?! I do not feel bad about it. However, I do miss working out, spending energy, running, and going to the gym. I actually really enjoyed it and want to get back to it.

I believe gyms are meant to reopen on June 15th in New York City, as the stay-at-home order expires on May 15th. Then the city will reopen the economy that was shut down due to COVID-19.

3. Street Style Shoot Again

Dude, shooting indoors is hard. It is so hard! Because you have to do everything at once on your own. When you shoot outdoors, you either shoot with another blogger or pay a photographer. But basically, your job is to put together outfit, find locations and pose. Everything else is on the other person. However, when you shoot indoors, most of the time, you are on your own. Especially in self-isolation, since COVID-19 made it impossible to shoot outside.

You have to style your surroundings, find props and backdrops, set the camera, timer and remote. It takes much more time and it is much harder. And I should know because I have been doing it since social distancing started! I even suggested a few ideas for indoor content. However, I cannot wait to be back outside and work with my photographer on street shoot content!

4. Carry On With Indoor Content Creation

Well oh well. Me just above saying how difficult shooting indoors was. And it is, I can confirm. However, I sort of enjoyed it. Shooting indoors gave me some freedom that I did not have with shooting with someone else. Plus it’s free. Also, it showed me that I can shoot content all on my own and should I ever be in shortage of photos, I will always be able to put something together at home. That is why I want to carry on shooting content indoors and improve on my skills.

5. Re-reschedule our holiday to Europe

Back in April, we were meant to fly to France and Germany. My husband’s sister was getting married and of course, we were to attend. But then, Trump closed the border and forbade Europeans to come to the US. That made flying to Europe difficult since we would not be able to come back home. And so we had to give up on Lyon and Heidelberg. Shame. I was so looking forward to it.

I do not know when we will be able to travel overseas again. It might not be before a few months. Planes are incubators after all and I bet COVID-19 could spread in there super quick. But I really do want to reschedule that holiday we had planned. A few days in Lyon, enjoying French food and wine, followed by a few day in Germany, enjoying German food and pastries. And the sun, and the lifestyle, and the atmosphere.

To be honest, at this point, I am just looking forward to a holiday somewhere. One full week of relaxing and forgetting about all this shit.

6. Go On A Long Weekend Somewhere In The US

Even though I have been in the US for one year now, I have not seen much of it. I did go to Boston last September for a long weekend and went on a road trip along the east coast for the 4th of July. It was fun and I got to see new places such as Martha’s Vineyard, Portsmouth, Portland, etc. However, I did not see much more of it. We were meant to go skiing in Colorado, which was cancelled due to COVID-19.

We had talked about going to New Orleans, San Francisco, Savannah and other city of the US. But we never actually did it. Especially because I had started my job back in November and did not want to go away so soon after. Plus, we already had Colorado and Europe planned. However, the US has quite a few bank holidays during the summer and I would like to use those to explore one city at a time on a long weekend.

7. Go For Korean BBQ

Don’t mock me. I love Korean BBQ. It is so delicious and all you can eat. And there is one on 6th avenue and 30th, not so far from where we live. It’s called Let’s Meat. And it is one of my favorite restaurants in New York City. I always have a blast eating there and I can’t wait to just go there again! The seventh of those 10 things I want to do when COVID-19 is over and one I am absolutely looking forward to!

8. Keep That Lockdown Reading Pace

Since the lockdown started in New York City, I stopped going to the gym and working out. I also no longer spend afternoons outside shooting with other bloggers or my photographer. Thus, I have more free time. When the stay-at-home order came into force on March 22nd, I mostly used that newly found free time to browse the internet. Yeah, I know. And then I started reading.

Fortunately, I had a big pile of unread books at home that I went through avidly during that time at home. And as I read more and more, I naturally adopted that pace and immediately picked up a book when I had some free time. As soon as I was done with work that I was reading. It felt great and I went through a lot of books since. That’s why I would like to keep that reading pace. Because I am actually having a blast reading all those books!

9. Plan More Friends Gatherings

When I was at university, I was the most sociable person. Yes, I was outside and partying all the time. Except my last year, when I did my masters in Edinburgh. But still. I still did go out with friends and all. Maybe not dancing until dawn but still enjoying a cocktail night out. I have rather avoided in in New York. sure, I may always be up for brunch but the idea of getting drunk and going to bed after midnight does not attract me anymore.

So I did not really have a huge night life. Nor did I meet with friends that often. Although I do not particularly want to be hitting the clubs every weekend, I would mind going once in a while. Just because. Or have friends over more often, or go for drinks. I realized I miss it. Whether dancing on bad music or drinks cocktails with friends. The little things in life

10. Visit New York Museums

And finally, last but not least of those 10 things I want to do when COVID-19 is over is to visit New York Museums. One year in NYC and the only museum I visited is the Museum of Chinese Immigration. Which was super interesting. But yes, I did not visit any other museums. Which is weird, right?

Although, since some are as expensive as $25 per person, it sort of explains why I did not visit any. $25 is so expensive! If you compare to the $0 of the British Museum or National Gallery in London. But still. I love museums. They are quite, relaxing, soothing. I love art too. When living in London, I would always spend an afternoon at the museum, here and there.

And so I want to go to museums again! To cross them off my list, to get back to normal life and just to see them. I do not know when I’ll be able to go to any since COVID-19 and the lockdown had all museums closed. I believe they will reopen on June 15th. 

That’s it for all those 10 things I want to do when COVId-19 is over and the lockdown lifts. The stay-at-home order in NYC expires on May 15th but things are unlikely going back to normal until at least a month after. Indeed, most restaurants, museums, cinema and other gathering places are not opening until June 15th.

10 Things I Want To Do When COVID-19 Is Over 10 Things I Want To Do When COVID-19 Is Over

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What about you? What are all those things you want to do when COVID-19 is over? Any things on your list to cross off first? When is the lockdown ending where you live?

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you liked this post.

See you soon,
Love,
Corinne.

*Gifted items.

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