My social calendar is almost back to normal. I see friends most nights, I do all of my favorite hobbies again. The only things I don't do that I used to really are going to large events (concerts/sports events) and I travel less frequently on planes.

WFH is still incredibly isolating for me. I feel disconnected from my work and from my peers. I was remote once before the pandemic and felt exactly the same way.

I think most people would describe me as highly extroverted. I just don't get enough/diverse enough person to person contact to be happy when I'm at home working all day.

I have a normal social calendar, but using the same desk and having to share space between work stuff and hobby stuff is getting to me. I could move to a bigger place but that's basically taking a paycut, or if it's a cheaper place it will mess up my social calendar again.

I don't dislike WFH and I think it has a place. I work on embedded devices and now I'm working at Apple on phone stuff. That place is not my job, I don't think WFH is any good for the teams I'm at and for the stuff I do. Even if I just go to the office once per week, that usually involves moving multiple devices and cables and tearing down/setting up my development setup somewhere else or having to maintain duplicate setups. Don't get me started on if I forget or don't think I'll need X measuring device or Y adapter cable or tool and then I have to hunt for a second one in the office or buy one for home.

A normal social calendar provides a few hours of interaction per week. That's important and healthy, but it's still a lot less than 40 hours of ambient presence. I think only sharing a household can substitute for that.

true but I mean its been a year and a half since the first lockdowns...this kind of seems like it is the new normal, right?

No. It isn't. It will take another six months or a year but things will return to much like they were before. With the exception of the office. I don't think the office will ever be the same

The Spanish Flu was about three years, but it did end. We're not going to be like this forever.