Throughout the pandemic, with its on and off quarantines, over 50% of NHS students say they felt idle because their public appearances were short or nonexistent. 

Some students questioned if they should put on jeans or keep their pajama pants on. Others questioned if they should do their makeup or shave since they were not planning on going out anywhere. 

Since society has adapted a wide array of beauty standards over the years, that the world thinks people must follow in order to “fit in” many suspect these standards might change entirely after the conclusion of the pandemic. Freshman Ava Claassen says that when people are in isolation others may demand high expectations, such as high beauty standards, from them when they come out of the quarantine.

“I feel that many people in isolation believe that others are working out and doing things to keep their bodies in shape, so when they come out from quarantine, they expect high standards from others,” Claassen said. “I honestly don’t like or agree with beauty stereotypes in any way, but I am aware that people are very critical of others appearances.” 

According to Goodtherapy many people struggle with their visual appearance while 80% of women are dissatisfied with their body image and 34% of men are dissatisfied with their body image. Junior Jacey Yager says that she does not feel like beauty standards are going to change but she learned to love herself after quarantine. Yager felt the need to not get ready in quarantine because she was not going anywhere but now says that she does not get ready as much as she used to because of the pandemic. 

“During [the start of] COVID when all of us were in quarantine, I felt like since I didn’t have anywhere to go I didn’t feel the need to get ready. This definitely led to me personally not getting ready as often as I used to,” Yager said. “I found myself barely wearing makeup which is something I didn’t normally do in the past. I was wearing pajamas almost every day. I’m not sure if beauty standards will change drastically after the pandemic, but personally in quarantine I definitely learned self love.” 

Yager says that she felt idle in quarantine but sophomore Giselle Sanchez says that she found many things to do when she got bored. Sanchez also claims that beauty standards change all the time, so she expects them to change after the pandemic, but not necessarily as a result of it.

“To me, it feels like beauty standards change all of the time so I think they will change after the COVID pandemic but not necessarily having anything to do with the pandemic. If anything were to change it would probably be the area that covers the mouth since people say some look different than expected once they take off their mask,” Sanchez said. “In isolation, when I was bored I would do my hair and practice putting on lashes. Overall I never really got bored.”

Since beauty ideals change all the time, over 67% of NHS students believe they will not change after the pandemic. Other students say that standards might change in a good way. 

“I don’t believe beauty standards will change in a negative way after the pandemic, but they may change in a positive way. When we were all in quarantine, no one needed to dress up and go places, so I don’t think beauty standards will be as high as they used to be. I also think people have become more supportive of all looks and body positively in recent times,” Sanchez said.