"Boba is life," some say.

On Tuesday night, that love - or obsession, for some - for bubble tea was out on display, with queues forming at shops hours after stricter circuit breaker measures were announced.

Standalone beverage shops had to close by midnight that day, along with those that sell mainly packaged snacks, confectioneries or desserts.

Collective panic set in among fans of the tea-based drink. Some ordered for delivery while others flocked to the stores for their last fix, and some of the stores extended their operating hours to cater to the demand.

Reactions on The Straits Times' Facebook account ranged from mildly amused to incredulous and strongly disapproving.

"Why so many people still outside?" wondered Facebook user Darren Hub.

Jimmy Jimmy said: "People don't care... The tighter the measures, the more it makes people want to come out to walk, window shop at supermarkets."

Another user, Alvin Tan, said such behaviour is "totally incomprehensible and inconsiderate".

"No fast food, everyone queue for fast food. No bubble tea, everyone queue. Bring whole family to NTUC to shop. Totally disgusting and treating this whole situation as a joke," he added.

The new measures are part of a further tightening on businesses deemed essential during Singapore's circuit breaker, which has been extended until June 1.

Hairdressing and barber shops also had to close from Wednesday. Other food establishments, including those that sell hot or cooked snacks or breads, may remain open for takeaway and delivery services only.

Some wondered what the fuss with bubble tea was all about.

Facebook user Suleyman Hafsham said: "What in the world is this madness. Doesn't mean that if you drank one today, it will stop your craving till 1st June."

Nancy Tay said the people queueing "behave as though without bubble tea they can't survive".

But Mok Malvin countered: "It means you managed to grab one before closure, and hurray for it."

Other Facebook users said those in the queues appeared to have got their priorities wrong.

"If given the option of either staying virus free or going without BT (bubble tea), I guess this group of people would choose BT any time. Absolutely weird," wrote Anthony Clarence.

Jumadi Muhammad also weighed in, saying: "Singaporeans don't know what is a need and a want."

With such behaviour, the stricter measures were indeed necessary, others mused.

Facebook user Mac Taghoier said: "Singaporeans need to be protected from themselves, it's truly amazing."

Tensions over the long wait at stores, which struggled with hundreds of last-minute orders, led to a heated exchange between a GrabFood rider and an employee at a PlayMade outlet at Waterway Point.

The rider was arrested for public nuisance and the shop has since apologised to the rider and its customers who were inconvenienced by the incident.

The day after, more people realised they can still buy from stalls selling the beverage in hawker centres, foodcourts and coffee shops. Those stalls also saw a jump in the number of orders.

Some Facebook users, meanwhile, suggested making the drink at home - if you have the time and patience, and can find tapioca starch. STFood Online Editor Hedy Khoo has the recipe here.

If all else fails, a colleague forwarded a photo collage on how to get by: use a black marker to draw boba-like circles on a cup, pour in some tea and just pretend it's the real thing.

CREATURE COMFORTS

Having to stay home has forced many of us to go online to look for necessities and creature comforts.

My purchases in the last two months include the following: a monitor stand, to accommodate an old TV that I now use as a second screen for work; a backrest cushion to ease the pain from sitting down for long hours; and a wired gaming headset for my husband, who has taken to playing games regularly with his friends on his PlayStation 4 (PS4).

I also ordered a small air fryer to make cooking a little easier, being a fan of recipes that have as few steps as possible, preferably those that say: "Throw everything in!"

Many people in Singapore are also searching for similar things, according to product comparison website iPrice.

It analysed thousands of shoppers on its platform and found a 57 per cent increase in searches for cookware and other kitchen equipment from February to March, compared with the preceding two months.

For appliances, it saw a 252 per cent rise in searches for freezers to store more food and make sure they last longer.

Interest in PS4 went up by 713 per cent, while searches for coffee grew by 107 per cent.

Their data showed a 47 per cent increase in searches for alcohol as well, with bars and restaurants closed during this period.

I understand the restlessness in the fingers doing those searches. We do whatever gets us through the night - but we must also find a way to balance our wants with our needs, and decide what we want to spend our time and money on during these strange times.