Personal stories of what it’s like, the emotions of it all, and everything in between.
Social distancing is in full force right now, but what does that mean when you’re far from the one your heart desires? Or maybe you can’t bear to see your significant other at all hours of the day? Perhaps you’re new to the dating scene and figured this is a good time as any to find love. Or maybe, this is a good time as any to get over that heart-wrenching breakup. Either way, COVID-19 shifted our lives in unimaginable ways, “quarting” or not. So we have several stories worth reading. Names have been altered to preserve anonymity.
Liam, 25
“I started talking to this girl I met on a dating app just as COVID-19 hit. At first, it was something casual, but now we talk daily. This is probably not the best time to form an attachment with someone, considering I don’t know when I’ll see her. I can’t help myself though, I like her. She is really interesting and say’s all of the weirdest and funniest things ever. We talk about everything! I just moved here, so I’m learning a lot about American culture. Honestly, talking to her has made these difficult times better. I want this to be over soon so that I can finally see her. Texting is nice, but you really get to know a person in real life. I wouldn’t talk to a girl just to make time pass.”
Maureen, 34
“My boyfriend and I are both working from home, and I never thought I’d say this, but I can’t bear to see him another second. How did I never realize I’ve been washing all of his dishes and washing his laundry for years? If I can just get him to at least cook with me, then maybe I wouldn’t be so annoyed. I think being confined is getting to me because I do love him, but wow! We’re both working from home and I feel like I’m babysitting him. I work my normal shift and in between, I have to tend to him. We argue all the time! At least he took the couch.”
Jen, 32
“I went on a few dates with this guy before lockdown. We had planned to hang out, but our schedules never coincided. Then COVID-19 hit and ruined our plans. Here’s the thing, I never felt like we were exclusively talking. And that’s okay, keeping your options open is fine when it’s this early. I just really like him, and I don’t say that often. I knew there was a connection when we kissed. He stopped answering my texts just as the lockdown was set. I find myself thinking about him all the time, probably because I have too much time on my hands.”
Quadir, 28
“I’ve been talking to this girl I met online for a while now. We’ve been on and off for months. Her ex-boyfriend keeps reappearing anytime we make a bit of progress. Supposedly she’s over him now. I think she’s afraid to commit, and although I’m trying to keep my options open, I always gravitate back to her. We were going to go out again, but now London is on lockdown. I told her she should pull up on the down-low, but she is hesitant, so we just video chat now.”
Ines, 29
“My fiance started acting a little weird a week after quarantine started. He was fidgeting a lot and that’s very unlike him. After asking him several times if he was okay, he finally confessed it. He had been seeing someone else and being quarantined with me made him feel horrible about it. I didn’t care to know how long it had been going on for but I told him to pack up his things and leave. Now I feel like my whole world is falling apart. I’ve been laid off without pay, I just put my dog to sleep a few weeks prior, and now this. It’s like I don’t know who he is anymore. I don’t even feel like I know who I am. Now I spend my days crying on the couch and my evenings crying myself to sleep because I lost the love of my life. I lost my heart. I know it will get better and that time heals all wounds, but what am I supposed to do with all of these pieces?”
Faye, 31
“Say what you will about COVID, but I am over the moon right now. My boyfriend proposed! I am engaged to marry my best friend! We’ve been face-timing all of our family to share the news. We figured this would be the perfect time to really plan out our wedding. We want to have something small, nothing too fancy. I just can’t wait to marry him!
Robert, 33
“I haven’t seen my girlfriend in almost 4 weeks now, and we really miss each other. We talk all day, every day pretty much, but that’s never the same, so I wanted to do something for her. I picked up a few little things for her while on a grocery run. Nothing big, just a pink coffee mug, nail polish, eye makeup, and a few other little tiny things. I went to her house, left it on her front door, and waited for her to be surprised. That smile gave me all the strength I needed to keep going.”
Sylvina Bravo (@thesylvii)
Director of Lifestyle and Fashion Editor
SHE Magazine USA
