Fake tan, meal deals, iced coffee: We asked people what they miss about normal life

Really miss an Uber cancelling on me after a night out

4 years ago

Cast your mind back to a time before lockdown began when you were happy and carefree and could indulge in the simple things in life. Like popping to the corner shop five times a day to stock up on Creme Eggs and vodka. Or having a few tinnies in the park on a hot summer’s day. Or queueing for an hour to get into some crappy club, down a few doubles, dance, get someone’s number and then stumble home getting cheesy chips on the way.

These are all the things that are now super irresponsible and technically illegal to do whilst we’re on lockdown. But a girl can still dream.

There’s all these obvious pleasures that I’m missing out on but there’s also the ones I didn’t even realise were such an entrenched part of my routine that I’m starting to have withdrawal symptoms. I miss meal deals and having a designated seat in the library.

Surprisingly I’m even starting to miss things I never thought I would, like the regret of a one night stand and my house mates not taking out the rubbish. Oh to be back complaining about bin juice. And turns out so does everyone else. We asked 63 people what they miss about everyday life and the answers were simple wholesome pleasures like seeing all the fit boys in the library and ordering three Asos deliveries a month.

These are the 63 things we’re missing about normal life:

1. Being persuaded to go on a night out by my housemates at 10pm.

2. Seeing all the fit boys in the library.

3. Spending £20 a week on iced coffee.

4. Sushi.

5. Itsu being half price when you go late.

6. M&S Prawn Sandwich.

7. Having a really nice cocktail being made in front of you, and then complaining about it costing £9.50.

8. Netflix days being optional lazy days.

9. Pavement rage of being behind slow walkers.

10. Going into Waitrose and laughing at all the boujjee food people actually buy.

11. Going for a coffee break in the library and saying to your mates “we’ll be fine” about your coursework.

12. Walking into clothes shops, picking up loads of clothes, trying them on, taking pictures and then not buying any. Repeat in five other shops.

13. Returning clothes in Zara and getting awful customer service.

14. But also just Zara in general.

15. My designated seat in the library.

16. My floor on the library.

17. TK MAXX.

18. Ordering three ASOS deliveries a month.

19. Spending all day complaining about being in the library.

20. Impulsively bleaching my hair.

21. Having my hair cut by someone who isn’t my mum.

22. Getting my nails done and spending ages picking a colour.

23. Playing netball.

24. Fake tan.

25. Having a reason to wear fake tan.

26. The in-between fake tan stage where you start to peel.

27. Spinning.

28. The gym.

29. Directing hate at people who don’t thank the bus driver.

30. Wearing an item of clothing that’s too tight because it makes my bum look good.

31. Uber’s cancelling on me after a night out.

32. Queuing in a club for an hour for a shitty night out.

33. Cheesy chips.

34. Turning up five minutes late to a lecture but in a really good outfit with a coffee, and everyone turns to look and I pretend to be embarrassed, but like really I wanted to make and entrance and just didn’t want to run in heels.

35. Sitting on the top deck of the bus and getting slightly anxious when trying to get off in fear that the bus will go and I will fall over.

36. Stroking dogs when you meet them on a walk.

37. Spending £8 a day in Pret, even though I know it’s stupid, I miss it.

38. Not getting a seat on the tube and having to stand and make awkward eye contact.

39. Pushing past really slow people and bumping into people on their phones.

40. Getting my brows done.

41. Being nosey and looking through people’s windows when you go past but now you can’t because people are actually inside and there’s too much eye contact.

42. Pizza Express dough balls.

43. Having a really heavy night out, being sick the next day, vowing to never drink again, knowing full well you’ll be out tomorrow.