As the world opens back up, everything seems to be shifting back into a sense of relative normalcy. Concerts are back on, restaurants are at full capacity, schools and universities are having in-person instruction, and perhaps even the not so great thing of going back into the office. 

For many of us, this pandemic has exposed us to a different way to work. Being able to work our desk jobs from the comfort of our own homes was something of a new revelation! However, now that schools are back in session and many companies are choosing to call employees back into the office, for many of us WFH now stands for WHY am I F@&)ing Here! To combat these feelings, here is a brief list I’ve compiled to make the return back to the office a bit more palatable (maybe).

Home cleaning: I don’t know about any of you but other than working my 9-5 from home, I also felt like I was moonlighting as the help. 

I felt like I was cleaning my home all the time. I guess it made sense as my partner and I both worked from home. We were both inside… all day… touching everything. We’d make a sandwich, use plates and utensils, and eat it at the table. All of that equates to dishes upon dishes and sweeping up! I shudder to think about those of you with kids. They are just like nature’s mini tornados! And don’t get me started on the bathroom! No wonder people were hoarding toilet paper! You really don’t get how much you use the bathroom in a day at work until you realize how much you are cleaning your own toilet/bathroom or replenishing your TP at home. Though going back into the office still gives mixed feelings, I can finally take unpaid, intern maid off my CV. 

Being forced to eat your own food at home: Now that we are back in the office, a little lunch luxury is finally possible which for me is a God sent. Working from home forced me to revert to what my momma used to say which was “Go make a meal outta what’s in the fridge!”. This was all cool and dandy in the beginning of the lockdown and working from home, when I was like the Iron Chef in my kitchen.

But at a certain point, you’re just tired of left overs and simply eating and reheating the food you have at home! It’s only so many times you wanna eat the pasta you made last week! Sometimes for lunch I would just crave a Chipotle bowl with all my fixings. I was even willing to do the extra Guac! And though theoretically you can make a burrito bowl at home, it’s just not the same! It’s the being served and the speed for me. Being able to grab lunch from a store that you did not have to make will be a refreshing experience after months of fending for myself in my own kitchen. 

Catching up on your fave podcasts: Now living in NYC there is nothing better during a morning commute than snagging a coveted train seat, enjoying your dollar cup of coffee and popping in your headphones to listen to your favorite podcast, especially the morning it comes out. 

This has to be one of the biggest things I missed during quarantine and WFH. I obviously had no commute so fitting in time to listen to my fave podcasts was never found. My podcast time was either taken over by my extra sleep (rolling outta bed to a 9am Zoom meeting was clutch!) or binge watching something trending on any of the streaming services ( y’all remember the Tiger King? Yea, me neither!). I’ve definitely gone ahead and neglected my fave podcasts during this time. Now, going back into the office, that joy of my fave podcast returns and though I am severely behind (I’m sorry Kid Fury and Crissle from The Read), I have more episodes to delve into and catch up on during my deja vu of a commute.

I’m not saying that I’m jumping for joy to go back into the office. My new normal of rolling outta bed and into the office suited me just fine. But after the year and a half we’ve collectively had, a return to a familiar routine does provide a calming effect that I didn’t realize I missed. So to everyone returning back to the workplace, be safe, protect ya mental health and good luck trying to make the pajama suit work.

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