As the UK marked 100 days in lockdown this week, it was surreal to look back on the emotional rollercoaster that has been the last four months.

With its virtual pub quizzes, Zoom meetings and endless loaves of bread, lockdown has definitely been an interesting experience. And alongside the lighter moments, the anxiety, sadness and emotional uncertainty we’ve all faced made those 100 days unlike anything any of us have experienced before.

It makes sense then that, as lockdown eases further in England this weekend and pubs, restaurants and hotels reopen, people across the country paused to take stock of what they’ll miss about lockdown now some semblance of normality is beginning to return to the streets. 

Using the hashtag #ThingsIWillMissAboutLockdown, Twitter users took the chance to reflect on the little things they appreciated during the lockdown period. 

From the novelty of clean, empty streets to the ability to slow down and take a step back from the busy nature of everyday life, it seems many people aren’t so keen to see life return to ‘normal’ after the pandemic is over.

“Having the perfect excuse not to leave the house,” read one response.

“More sleep,” added another, alongside a perfectly placed GIF of Sleeping Beauty.

“Being able to hear and enjoy the sounds of nature without them being drowned out by the sounds of modern living,” read another response.

And one user simply added: “Clean streets.”

Reflecting on the lessons we learnt in lockdown – and thinking about how we want to take the things we learnt and appreciated into the future – is, of course, great. For many people, lockdown has provided them the chance to re-evaluate their life choices and work out what’s important to them.

However, as other people were quick to point out, there’s a glaring problem with the #ThingsIWillMissAboutLockdown hashtag – the lockdown (and underlying threat of coronavirus) is far from over.  

“Did I miss the memo about lockdown being over,” read one response. “#AskingForAFriend.”

“Um, I’m as excited for lockdown to end as the next guy, but why is #ThingsIWillMissAboutLockdown trending?” added another. “You know it’s not over yet, right?”

Although many of the restrictions we faced in the early days of lockdown have now been lifted, it’s important to remember that the threat posed by coronavirus is still far from over. 

The lockdown restrictions which are still in place – such as social distancing rules, restrictions on the number of people you can meet and health and safety measures in public places – are still there for a reason, and it’s vital that we remember that as we reflect on the past 100 days.  

As Stylist’s Kayleigh Dray aptly put it: “Yes, we’re all bored of lockdown. We’re all ready to be released from our homes. We all want to get back to normal, whatever ‘normal’ looks like. But we need to remember that the virus is still around. That many are still being advised to shield until August. That Covid-19 is no less deadly or infectious than at the start of 2020.”

By all means, reflect on the things you’ll miss about lockdown, and what habits you want to carry through to post-pandemic life. But don’t forget that the threat posed by the pandemic is far from over. 

Image: Getty