Favorite Pre-Pandemic Pastime

Drawing on New York City subways used to be my favorite pre-pandemic pastime. It used to calm me and make me pay more attention to life around me. I haven't done it in a while and gave it a try again recently. It feels different, but I like how it makes me feel a little bit closer to other people in a city of strangers. 

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[3-panel comic of a girl with braid, remembering her favorite pre-pandemic pastime. Panel 1, black and white frame of a girl sketching in a subway car: "My favorite pre-pandemic pastime used to be drawing on the subway." Panel two, full color, girl wearing a mask, standing stiffly on the subway, not touching anything. Text reads: "I haven't felt at ease enough to do it in a couple of years. Recently, I pulled out a sketchbook again on a long subway ride." Panel 3, full color, wide angle frame of a subway car of people, mostly wearing masks. Girl sits in the subway car with a sketchbook on her lap. Text reads: "Of course, nothing is the same anymore, but it did remind me of how much I miss -- [she crinkles eyes] -- creepily watching other people." Although the scene implies that the pandemic is ongoing, there is also a coziness in the subway car of people just living their lives. Two masked young people share a "shimmy of laughter."]