“What is the first thing you’ll do once everything goes back to normal?”

It’s a good question, to be honest. At the moment, life is pretty much on hold as the UK goes into coronavirus lockdown – and it’s hard to think past the weeks of quarantine ahead. Especially as Boris Johnson has suggested that he will be reviewing the Covid-19 situation in three weeks’ time (which doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll all be free to go about our days again straight away).

This is, though, the absolute best thing we can be doing. By staying indoors, we’re easing the strain on our NHS and, hopefully, flattening the curve. And there’s no denying all this time indoors has given us time to think about things, too.

In a heart-warming Reddit thread, people have been sharing what they’d most like to do when this state of emergency is declared to be over. And the answers are… well, they’re remarkably sweet in their simplicity.

“I want to eat at a sit-down restaurant again,” said one.

Another said: “I’m having a big BBQ in my backyard. All my friends are coming. I’m gonna fill a canoe with beer, we will have bag toss and shots. Really just start the summer off right.”

And one more, based in Canada, shared: “I’ll go back to work. Been in the culinary industry for eight years now and, at the moment, I’m applying to local hospitals so I can put myself to work while still doing something good. Ontario hasn’t been hit hard yet, we’re doing well on social distancing but restaurants are getting hit hard.

“If I have to make cream of mushroom soup three times a week, done and done. If I have to make simple sandwiches for lunches every day, consider it done.

“I’m a young guy in good health and I know bulk food process inside and out (catering, corporate jobs in the past) and if I can put it to good use, I will. I’ll take the risk, and practice all the safety measures I know, and whatever else needs to be done.

“I look forward to the day we can all get back to normal and I can do what I love most. In the meantime, I’ll feed the people that are going to save our lives, and the people who need it most.”

Here are a few of our favourite dreams for the post-coronavirus world.

When this is all over, I’m going to…

“Travel, man. My Japan trip that I was looking forward to for five months got cancelled.”

“Never take anything for granted because you never know when it’ll go away. I’m missing going to work, believe it or not. I like my co-workers, so I’m looking forward to getting back to my job.”

“Go to the gym! It’s been a week and a half and I feel the itch to head back. Working out at home isn’t the same.”

“Go on a date! Just decided to put myself out there when BOOM! Social distancing became a thing…”

“Hopefully get a job. I’ve had very little call-backs for months and am running out of savings, but now with so many laid off and companies not posting new positions I’m going to have so much more competition and the hopelessness of ever paying off my student loans.”

“Be an introvert in the middle of a gathering. I like people around me.”

“Run freely.”

“Go see my diabetic friends and give them hugs until the sun goes down.”

“I’m going to walk through our local zoo. One of the elephants is due to have her baby soon and hopefully months from now everyone will be able to see the little one.”

“Look after the natural world more!”

“Cry tears of joy.”

You can read the full Reddit thread here. One thing’s for sure, it seems like many of us have had a perspective overhaul over the past few weeks. 

Perhaps, when we’re finally allowed back outside, we’ll start to appreciate the little things more.

Main image: Fabrizio Verrecchia/Unsplash