Of late, my feed has been full of travel stories. This is when I never really have had a case of wanderlust myself. I don’t even read a lot of travel stories but I guess that’s exactly what a lot of the millennials are doing right now. Currently, a huge chunk of the digital content is dedicated to vaccine passports and places that you can visit once you get the shot. With the decreasing case count, there is this massive hope for a post-COVID-19 summer. It is, of course, marked by a revelry that was distinctly absent from life during quarantine. Long things short–the travel bags are packed, summer bodies made, vaccines have been jabbed, and a lot of people are frantically searching for locations that flights can take them to. Well, looks like we are fast approaching what’s being popularly referred to as the “shot girl summer.” Now, what’s that you ask? Read on:
What Is Short Girl Summer?
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Think of “shot girl summer” as a very millennial version of the roaring twenties. Experts predict that a post-pandemic boom is coming. “Shot girl summer” is the fuel that’s going to drive this boom. People are done with the home confinement and totally ready to seize the day. The partygoers can’t be contained anymore. There is a life that hasn’t really been lived in the past year-and-a-half. ‘We live only once,’ is the zeitgeist right now. Of course, we are ready to run out of our house and to the nicest vacay spot at the very first opportunity.
Think of the term as a variant of Megan Thee Stallion’s viral song “Hot Girl Summer,” which glorified the idea of being completely and unapologetically in alignment with your authentic self throughout the summer season back in 2019. The idea is all about living our best lives now that we are fully vaccinated and, well, apparently safe.
Are We Really Ready For All This?
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But are we really prepared for the “shot girl summer,” especially in a country like India that has been constantly warned about an inevitable third wave of the pandemic? Just earlier this month, the authorities reported a huge jam on the roads leading to Himachal Pradesh. This was right after the announcement of lockdown relaxations. We also need to consider the fact that the daily case count and total positivity rate keep fluctuating in India. We reported some 46k cases just today. This sure is lesser than what we were registering at the culmination of the second wave. But it is still quite an inundating number.
Honestly, the entire idea is making us anxious. Normal as the times might seem, they are anything but that. And while some of us might get away with this “long-awaited fun,” someone else might have to pay for it.
Treading The Post-Pandemic Euphoria With Caution
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A major chunk of our population still remains to get the shot and while our economy can use a definite boost, we need to think of smarter ways of doing that. Here are some ways to live your best life and the “shot girl summer” dreams while staying responsible:
Order In
Enough of the at-home pizza, pasta phase already. Most of the amazing restaurants are finally delivering and this is your chance to take a break from cooking and explore all the delicacies that exist. We recently tried Biryani By Kilo’s amazing hamper and the impressive spread left us in a food comma for a week to come.
Explore Beyond The Usual
The most reckless thing that we can do right now is to flock to the tourist locations and risk ourselves as well as the locals.
Date Responsibly
Been quite a dry spell, right? Well, maybe we can slowly wade back to the romantic territories with a little bit of caution though. Whenever going out make sure that your date is fully vaccinated just like you. Pre-book your table at the restaurant and go to places that take responsibility for your safety by practising proper hygiene. Also, consider a cosy date at home before you plan a date night ‘someplace out.’
Sundowners>>> Clubbing
Clubbing might be iffy but you can still party. In fact, why don’t you pool in with your (fully vaccinated) friends and throw a fancy sundowner? It would be open-air, minimise the chances of infection, and it would be easy for you to practice social distancing while you sip on some Chardonnay in your chiffon, party dress.
Masks Are A Must
Masks are a must no matter what you do and where you go. So is your sanitiser. Do not forget the COVID-19 protocol yet.
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Read The Room
Please don’t do any of this at the cost of risking lives or defying COVID-19 protocol. You must also realise that you come from a super privileged background to be able to do this right now. Acknowledge this privilege and don’t risk the safety of others.
Lastly, we need to understand that it’s not a “shot girl summer” but rather a “shot girl winter” that’s our best hope here. If we have waited this long, we can wait a little more and let the pandemic situation normalise. After all, nothing is as fun as staying alive, right?
Featured Image: Instagram
