20 everyday things people did 6 months ago, like shake hands and share water bottles, that might disgust you today

Zoë EttingerJul 18, 2020, 03:52 IST

Eating on the train.SolStock/Getty Images

Some everyday practices that seemed normal six months ago might make you think twice today.
You might have happily shared a water bottle with a friend before the pandemic, but now? Just the thought of it might make you feel ill.
Shaking hands with a new friend or colleague would have been a nice greeting back in January, but it's viewed now as a way to spread illness.

Life has certainly changed quite a bit in the past six months, and many things that used to be normal might be unthinkable today.

Many of us wouldn't have minded giving a friend a sip of water from our bottle, but now knowing that the coronavirus is found in saliva, and how easily the virus spreads, we'd probably think twice before doing so.

"The handshake has existed in some form or another for thousands of years," according to History.com, but its legacy as a greeting has been halted, at least during the pandemic. Touching the hands of a stranger might make a lot of people uncomfortable, especially if they aren't able to wash their own hands directly after.

Take a look at all the normal things people did just six months ago that might disgust you today.

Shaking hands used to be a common practice, but now it seems more like a surefire way to spread bacteria or viruses.

Shaking hands. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

It's hard to imagine not washing your hands the minute you get home, but many of us would hardly think to do so six months ago.

Washing hands. Shutterstock

Eating or drinking on public transit used to be commonplace, but taking your mask off in an enclosed public space could now put you or others at risk.

Eating on the train. SolStock/Getty Images

Wiping your eyes in public might have been normal before, but now your hands could be carrying germs.

Wiping eye in public. Maskot/Getty Images

Having a friend over for a cup of coffee would have been fine before, but now it's unsettling to have an extra person in your living space.

Drinking coffee at home. Dean Mitchell/Getty Images

Handling cash and change might make you feel like you need to wash your hands immediately now.

Handling cash. Atiwat Witthayanurut/Shutterstock

Sharing a water bottle with someone else was entirely normal six months ago, but now it just seems gross.

Sharing water. Rimagine Group Limited/Getty Images

You might have thought nothing of holding the bars on a subway or train six months ago, but today you'd probably think twice.

Holding the bar on a train. Damircudic/Getty Images

Using a public drinking fountain today seems a lot grosser than it did six months ago.

Drinking fountain. Kris Schmidt/Shutterstock

Using a public bathroom was part of an average day six months ago, but today you might find it stressful.

Public bathroom. Sara D. Davis/Getty Images

Going to a buffet restaurant now might seem unsanitary, though they were popular before all of this.

Buffet. dotshock/Shutterstock

Sitting next to a stranger on a park bench today seems risky, though it used to be common practice.

People sharing a park bench. Westend61/Getty Images

Wearing a mask inside a grocery store (or any store) might have seemed like an overreaction six months ago, but now it's a requirement in many states.

Grocery shopping without a mask. Justin Sullivan/Getty

Going to a public pool might have seemed like a fun activity last summer, but now you might think twice.

A group of people in a public pool. Thomas Barwick/Getty Images

Hopping on a flight requires a lot more thought and planning than it used to.

Flying before the pandemic. Westend61/Getty Images

Taking a free sample from a grocery store today doesn't sound as appetizing as it did six months ago.

Free sample in the grocery store. Hybrid Images/Getty Images

Blowing out candles on a birthday cake would've been a typical part of celebrations, but now it sounds like a way to spew germs on others' food.

Blowing out candles on a birthday cake. Recep-bg/Getty Images

Going to a crowded indoor venue full of fellow fans was fun six months ago, but now the thought of being surrounded by so many strangers might cause anxiety.

Concert crowd. Theo Wargo/Getty Images

You might have felt comfortable asking a stranger to take a photo of you with your phone six months ago, but now you might not want to risk it.

Taking a photo. Alfredo Martinez/Getty Images

Sharing an Uber or Lyft was normal before the pandemic, but now you might hesitate to get in a car with multiple strangers.

Ride-share service. Miodrag Ignjatovic/Getty Images

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