THINGS may be slowly going back to normal, but make no mistake, they can never return exactly to the way they were before. The curfew hours, reduced salaries, layoffs and increased time at home have forced many of us to rethink the essentials of life — including our love life .

Can you really afford to stay single? Is it sustainable to have two side chicks? Is this married man’s money a reliable source of income? How bad are my sugar daddy’s co-morbidities? These are a few pertinent questions that are being pondered by men and women who are seeking to reform their relationships moving forward.

But it is our amazing ability to adapt quickly to change that has kept humans at the top of the food chain for so long, as the fittest of the fit continue to evolve and advance the species. These reformed men and women share the changes they have had to make to their love game in response to the current realities.

Keneisha, 26, communications expert:

I have decided that I cannot afford to play nice with these men anymore. I grew up with this romanticised notion of independence, and would always refuse when men offered me money and expensive things because I felt belittled. But now I see that it is only fair that I take it. I found out, while we were discussing recent pay cuts, that my male co-worker is making way more money than I am for doing the same work with the same qualifications. If the pay gap is still so wide in 2020, might as well I start taking men’s money as reparation.

Samuel, 42, agricultural economist:

I had a girl that I used to link every now and then, but I had to let her go. It’s not that I couldn’t give her a thing like I normally would, but I gathered that since she got laid off without pay, and my money alone couldn’t sustain her, she would be very likely to have other partners. Even though we always used protection, just the thought of it was a turn-off for me. I still help out when I can, but at least until things pick up, I will stick to my bona fide woman.

Karen, 30, virtual assistant:

To tell you the truth, I’m looking forward to leaving this house and finding myself a man! I am getting in shape already. I have sacrificed five years in this house taking care of the kids and working online, for nothing. Even when my common-law husband got the option to work from home, he still found excuses to leave everyday. I’m no fool.

Shauna, 28, accountant:

This pandemic has made me feel lonelier than ever, to be honest. I never felt like I needed a man, and I still don’t, but I can definitely see the merits of having someone steady in my corner now. The financial cushion would definitely help, but more than that I just want someone to go home to at night, or stay home and quarantine with.

Shane, 32, entrepreneur:

The crisis really opened my eyes to the kind of girl I was dealing with, to be honest. We were together for over a year and we never really had any major problems, to the point where I was planning to propose to her on our two-year anniversary. But when things got kind of slow with the business because of the virus, I started seeing another side of her. She isn’t level-headed or forward-thinking, and she complains a lot. She is all about herself, as if she is the only one affected by this pandemic. Can’t wife up a girl who nah hold nuh medz.