024: The Quarantine Effect: How COVID Changed Everything

In this episode of Two Millennials and Mom, the crew reflects on the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic five years later. They discuss how life shifted during lockdowns and how those changes stuck (or didn’t). From remote work and social habits to mental health and personal growth, the conversation spans the unexpected silver linings and enduring scars left by the pandemic. With characteristic humor and honesty, they share personal memories from quarantine, explore generational differences in how the pandemic was experienced, and discuss how society collectively reshaped itself — for better or worse.

 

10,000-Foot View of this Episode:

• Pandemic or Zombie Apocalypse? At first, it felt like something out of a movie—empty roads, shuttered stores and a creeping fear that every surface (or stranger) would infect you. The crew remembers how surreal those early weeks were: thinking it would all blow over in a few weeks, only to watch it stretch into months of eerie quiet, isolation and social disconnection. The normal rhythms of life vanished almost overnight.
• A Generation Interrupted: Whether they were just starting school or navigating high school, kids and teens had their entire sense of “normal” ripped away. For little ones, COVID disrupted critical years of learning and development and many still haven’t caught up. For teens, it meant missing milestones like prom, graduation and sports—but also brought some unexpected upsides, like more sleep and a break from overpacked schedules. Studies even suggest adolescents benefited from the slower mornings. The crew also touches on how women, especially mothers, disproportionately took on the burden of schooling, caretaking and emotional toll during that time.
• The Metaphorical and Literal Butterfly Effects: During COVID-19, the reduction in human activity led to dolphins vocalizing more due to fewer boat disturbances, turtles laying more eggs in safer, less crowded areas and significant reductions in pollution. National parks saw record attendance but struggled to address increased trash, traffic and trail damage as they navigated the challenges of handling such a surge in visitors.
• Divisions and Tensions: COVID-19 sharply divided people along lines of belief, particularly regarding mask-wearing and vaccination. Many debates became polarized, with individuals becoming staunch in their positions, whether based on facts, misinformation, or personal conviction. This created awkward situations where people felt compelled to ask about vaccination status and those answers often had significant impacts on businesses, households and entire communities, influencing financial security and social dynamics.
• Working from Home had Benefits and Challenges: The shift to remote work during COVID-19 was a game-changer for many businesses and industries that never thought it was possible. It highlighted a delicate balance of responsibility and freedom, where some thrived in the flexibility, becoming more productive, confident and efficient, while others struggled with boundaries and sometimes abused the setup. Ultimately, working from home allowed people to prioritize self-care, which became a major theme in daily lives of many during the pandemic while simultaneously presenting challenges in maintaining work-life balance.
• Stimulus Checks and Child Poverty: The stimulus checks provided during the pandemic made a significant impact on the lives of children, pulling many out of poverty. However, in 2022, when these checks ended, child poverty rates doubled, highlighting the crucial role extra money played. This situation also sparks a broader conversation about capitalism—how we would love to see its intentions shift to better reward innovation and creativity, rather than perpetuating the hoarding of wealth by a select few.

• Weird and Wonderful COVID Moments: We reminisce on some unforgettable and oddly delightful moments that probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise—like Stanley Tucci casually teaching us how to make Negronis on Instagram Live, or the Iditarod winner getting stranded in Alaska with his 16 dogs after his flight was canceled (he eventually caught a ride home on a historic plane headed to a Norwegian aviation museum). TikTok brought us new shared recipes and the unexpected rise of sea shanties, popularized by young men who learned them from a video game. We also revisit the chaos of the Ever Given container ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal, disrupting global trade, and of course, the legendary “I am not a cat, your honor” Zoom courtroom moment, thanks to a stubborn filter left on by a kid.

 

Memorable Quotes:

• “It added perspective. It's not just about us. It's not just about me. I'm not the only one who matters.” – Callie
• "There's no in between and I feel like we have not recovered from that divisiveness." – Cole
• “I feel like a corporate overlord all of a sudden!” – Callie
• "It's way better for your health if you stop trying to impress everyone around you. Just be you." – Cole
• "As a mother, I'm going to go, 'lalalala!'" – Mecca
• "Drinking has never once in my life made me make better choices." – Cole
• "The camaraderie that COVID created was incredible. 'Hey, we're all in this together. It totally sucks and is really weird. And we don't know what's going on, but we're all in this together. We'll figure it out.' That is what I wish we had better taken away." – Callie

 

Resources Mentioned:

• The Upshot Article about the lasting effects of COVID.
• Watch Mairi Karen kick some butt in her post-COVID high heels on CCTV Video

 

COVID-19 changed us all. Some of those changes were massive and obvious—like how we work, how we connect, or how we think about public health. Others were more subtle, like rediscovering self-care, rethinking priorities, or learning the lyrics to a sea shanty we had no business singing. Whether it brought out new habits, new divisions, or new Negroni recipes, the pandemic left a mark that’s still shaping how we live today. Five years later, quarantine may be over, but The Quarantine Effect is still unfolding.

 

We want to hear how you changed. Did you start a new routine you still follow? Are you working from home in your pajama pants right now? Or did you—be honest—become a bread-baking, sourdough-starter evangelist? Share your stories with us on social media or shoot us an email. And don’t forget to rate and review our show—it helps more people find our cozy corner of the podcast world.