The COVID-19 outbreaks in 2020 caused prolonged periods of social distancing. After mandates were lifted, social calendars filling up with plans felt like a dream come true to many. At the same time, a stark increase in real time interactions and number of social obligations likely experienced as stressful. The shift to in-person socialization may be especially distressing considering an extended period of reduced and controlled ways of gathering. Here, we analyzed peoples’ accounts of dealing with a sense of overinclusion in pandemic and post-pandemic socializing. In the varied responses in a qualitative sample of 24 participants, we found a disproportionate amount of post-distancing socializing brought up among recalled interactions deemed as “overwhelming”, than other inclusion interactions. Among the “overwhelming” interactions, post-distancing socializing was described as of more negative as positive emotional quality.