O
n my more hopeful days—when my dad got his first vaccine appointment, when the weather popped up above 50 degrees—I let myself imagine it. I consider the possibility of being maskless on a run, exhaling thoughtlessly the whole way through. I wonder what last night's takeout might look like plated at a restaurant, surrounded by mood lighting and smooth music. I picture myself hugging—hugging!—my friends, but also cuddling, piling on top of each other, allowing proximity to make up for lost months.
I don't know when our post-pandemic life will come, but with a vaccine rollout in place, I've allowed myself to wonder what one might look like and all I'll do once it's here. In honor of feeling joy again, we asked nine other women: What are you most looking forward to doing once the pandemic is behind us?