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A return to normal, for better or worse

May 8th, 2023 by Kenneth Abrahams

In previous blogs the word normal has been discussed regarding the pandemic. People around the world wanting to return to “normal” or to a pre-pandemic time. A time when no one had a drawer or shelf full of masks. When the word test referred to things like eye test or driver’s test. A time when there weren’t daily reports about the number of COVID cases and deaths. Back to a time of open campuses with full residence halls and restaurants and bars would once again be teeming with patrons. For the most part, mission accomplished. In so many respects it is back to normal, business as usual.

Truthfully, I’m not sure what normal looks or feels like anymore. Yes, it feels more like mid 2019 in that stores and schools are not loaded with people wearing masks, and when someone coughs or sneezes you don’t see people looking in horror or running for the nearest exits. But it is a far cry from normal in many respects. Despite highways once again full of commuters, there are a lot less people in their offices 5 days a week. In fact, there are less people working in general. FUN Enterprises is one of the organizations that rarely has the full team in the office, in person. We have staff in the office full time, hybrid staff, and fully remote staff. We have had to change the way that we communicate to accommodate the “new” normal. Like so many others we have lost help; we have less road staff, less artists, and less sales staff than before the pandemic. It means that we, too, have had to change the way that we operate. Prices have increased to cover ever rising supply costs, it is harder to do dates that are far from home, we are using more artists that are subcontractors, and we are able to book less events on busy days. Some who are unfamiliar with our blog may wonder why we would admit what is going on in our business. Simple answer is, it’s the truth and we’ve never run from that.

This may sound strange but there are aspects of normal I wish hadn’t come back. As things began to open a few years ago, the attitude of people in many cases was amazing. They were patient with people in shops and restaurants, both other patrons and staff as well. Often, they would respectfully wait their turn in line or leave extra-large tips to acknowledge that some of these folks were risking their health to serve them. Signs were prominent on lawns, in cars, on public common grounds, and at schools applauding teachers and first responders for their herculean efforts. Sidewalks were busy with walkers, while roadways were not choked with speeding cars. You could cross the street at a walk and not have to sprint to avoid becoming a hood ornament. For the most part that is gone. Many have returned to life as if the pandemic never happened. Emergency vehicles struggle to pass as people can’t be bothered to pull over. More teachers seem to be packing it in unable to deal with the hours, the pressure, unreasonable expectations, and cranky parents.

In our world we are seeing some shifts back to the bad old days and some new phenomenon that have been added. People are back to their last-minute planning ways. Recently, as I was heading to an event at 4PM on a Thursday when my phone rang as I was pulling out of the gas station. A student from a local academic institution needed a program for Earth Day on April 22nd, less than 48 hours away. What would it cost for them to get 200 cactus pots and cactus? For those of you in Higher Education or who understand Spring Weeks and Weekends in New England, the last 2 to 3 weeks are crazy busy. When I explained that we didn’t have 200 cacti lying around the office and that there was no way at this point to order them or staff the program, there was a long pause followed by “So are you saying you can’t do this?” Yep, that is exactly what I am saying. To which the voice on the other end asked if I was sure. Sadly, I responded “yes, I’m sure.” Although this was the most extreme case, it is far from an isolated incident.

For better or worse is in the title of this piece and we have hit some of the worse. I think it’s time we talk about the better. It is much more fun to end things on a high note. For those that follow our blog or are FUN Fans in general, you know that we as a company, and I as a part of the team, have been back doing events in person since late Summer 2020. It was interesting doing events with limited students on campus allowed to attend. People waited in well-marked lines for their turn to participate and many schools had students sign up to come at certain times. Campus police officers or other staff were there to ensure that people stayed 6 feet apart, and often these things were eerily quiet. Now there are crowds showing up. As soon as activities open, we often see a rush to be first in line for an airbrush bucket hat or to hop on a carnival ride. Music once again fills the air, even if it is just a phone connected to a speaker system. At the end of events, we are back to the days of cutting lines and turning people away.

It isn’t just the attendance that is moving in a positive direction. Energy levels on campus seem to be renewed. More students are again joining campus program boards, student governments, as well as a whole host of other clubs and organizations. Creative themes are once again becoming the norm, students are really embracing those themes. They are using the theme to help with décor, music, the programs they book, foods that are served, music or videos that are played, along with the swag they order. Students and staff are smiling as they see the fruits of the labors resulting in successful well attended events. Weather this Spring, for the most part, has been lousy with cold, rain, and drizzle being the backdrop for many events, but that hasn’t dampened spirits. As I stand there, freezing in my 6 layers of clothing, shoulder to shoulder with students in shorts and flip flops, I think of the joys of being young and resilient.

Several new professionals or people starting new jobs have the passion, excitement, and drive that have been the hallmarks of higher education fields for decades. It is more than a little refreshing to see. Students are once again expressing a desire to make higher education, in general, and student affairs, specifically, a career choice. They, like so many of us, see the value in what these amazing professionals do.  Perhaps we are finally turning a corner. Maybe, just maybe, things are going to be a little more “normal” going forward. I’m not going to lie, if that is where we are headed, count me in.

About the Author

Ken Abrahams is a True Colors green, a terrible golfer, and a lover of GOOD Barbecue. He once considered running for state office and is a pretty good cook. He doesn’t believe that baseball games should be timed but loves the pitch clock. He’s an okay writer, loves the color purple, and is a huge fan of the movie Shawshank Redemption. He just met a student who is from Buxton, Maine (Shawshank fans will understand). He is a proud father of 2 sons and a little grandson. He is also the author of many of the FUN blogs.

To find out more about the company go to our website www.funent.com you can also go to this link to sign up for our newsletter which comes out about 6 times a year    https://funent.com/subscribe-to-the-funny-pages/.  Our newsletter will tell you more about the company and the products and services we offer as well as some games, things to do, and the occasional cooking tip.