ABSTRACT
The pandemic caught me in the middle of one of the most transformational moves in my career and personal life. Moving countries, leaving friends and family, and joining a new institution was something I had done before. But this time, nothing was like in the past. Using my personal experience as an example, I dwell on how COVID-19 has made us adopt virtuality as a new normal. I commented on three areas that have dramatically changed my everyday routine and prevented me from quickly adapting to a new environment: engaging socially, working from home, and building a team. I argue that the haste in which we adopted a new style of work and engagement with each other has adversely impacted our well-being and increased our feelings of loneliness. Far from building back better, I believe that the new normal is a step back for society in general, and we should ponder if we have the skills and ability to thrive in this new environment.
