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What is pandemic skip?
Thanks for asking.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is still palpable, with repercussions stretching across various facets like the economy, education and health sector.
These all took a severe hit due to the virus and ensuing lockdowns.
Now on a more personal level, our mental well-being has faced significant challenges.
According to the World Health Organization, there was a 25 increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide during the first year of the pandemic.
Amidst this continued unease, a new sentiment has emerged, and it's been labelled pandemic skip.
The term gained traction online in September 2023 when American journalist Katie Schneider coined it in an article for The Cut.
She defined pandemic skip as the strange sensation that our bodies might be a step out of sync with our minds.
That's right, the effects of pandemic skip could be likened to those of a time warp.
Did the pandemic pass by quickly?
Slowly?
It's hard to tell.
When we were in lockdown, the days would often go by without any new stimulus, significant change or progress altering our perception of time.
And worse, there's the feeling for a lot of people that they haven't moved forward with their lives since 2020, having missed growth milestones or opportunities due to COVID.
It's as if they've now come out of a three-year slumber, still feeling as young in their minds as they did pre-pandemic, but with their bodies three years older.
Who's most affected by this phenomenon?
Katie Schneider's article looks at how pandemic skip has affected people in various different age groups, but it's typically a younger demographic, between 20 and 30, who feel they've fallen behind in crucial periods of their lives.
Over on TikTok, the hashtag Pandemic Skip has accrued over 15 million views at the time of recording.
Users, mostly young women, share their personal stories and advice on overcoming this feeling.
A September 2023 post on the subject by user Inapseelife has been liked over 20,000 times.
Here's a short extract.
It's really coming to fruition now.
Some of the things that we feel like we're missing out on, and our minds are just not caught up with our bodies.
And that's exactly how I feel.
According to a New York Post article on Pandemic Skip, the prospects of starting a family feel uncomfortably near for women who are now in their early 30s due to the pressure of the biological clock.
It's important to remember that all of your peers likely experienced it too.
So in that respect, you haven't really fallen behind at all.
Katie Schneider's article emphasizes that these feelings of questioning and lagging behind were present even before the pandemic.
Talking to Glamourcouk, psychologist Nova Cabin advises realigning our brains and bodies in three ways.
By remapping your time over the pandemic, accepting what has happened and resetting goals and ambitions accordingly.
She also warns against the risks of making major life decisions based purely on the feeling of pandemic skip.
There you have it.
Now you know what Pandemic Skip is.
In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines.
Listen along and you will really know for sure.
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