Learning how to socialize again Last week, I got on my first flight since the pandemic started to visit family and friends in my hometown. I was anxious about traveling but excited to see people that I hadn’t seen IRL in more than a year. I imagined that these social interactions would both energize and soothe me after a long period with few gatherings. Instead, I ended up feeling overwhelmed and tired. Going to lunch or dinner with just one friend left me drained; I needed to take breaks in between meetups. I didn’t realize how much the pandemic affected my social stamina.