The Covid-19 virus outbreak is dramatically changing our everyday lives and people are still trying to navigate this new and evolving situation. Practicing social distancing can make socializing difficult and can become lonely BUT, you are not alone. We can still come together, in new and creative ways. Read below for some ideas on how to maintain your social connections:
Call, Text or Write
Scroll through your contact list in your phone and call someone you haven’t talked to in a while to see how they’re doing.
Surprise your neighbors with a kind note taped to their door to let them know you care. Write a heartfelt letter or note to your grandparents, or teach them to use a new form of technology so that they can have more options to connect with others.
Send a letter to close friends to let them know you are thinking about them. People love receiving mail that isn’t the usual junk mail or bills! You’d be surprised how something this simple can brighten someone’s day.
Virtual Dinner with Friends and Family
Most people love coming together for a meal, coffee, or good conversation over a snack and we can STILL do this with the help of a video app. There are several options including Skype, Zoom, and Facebook video apps. You can choose between your tablet or phone to prop up at your table, or you can eat in front of a computer with a webcam. Try starting the conversation earlier and cooking together while video chatting. Make sure your friends can see not only your face but your choice of food and drink while you catch up and laugh about how new and different this whole experience is!
Create a Virtual Birthday Card
Know someone who has a birthday that needs celebrating? Create a virtual birthday card using Google Slides and share it with that special person! Set up a video chat to see their expressions, comments, and laughs while they go through them all! You can share Google Slides via Google Drive with friends or family that also want to wish the special person a “happy birthday.” Each person can have their own slide to type what they want, add a picture, meme, or even a funny GIF. Follow the steps at this link: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Card-in-Google-Docs
Social Distance Workouts
Do you find it hard to motivate yourself to workout at home? If so, there are clubs such as Absolute Fitness, Nutrition, or trainers that have moved to Facebook Live or are using the Zoom app as a way to invite others to join in on their work outs. With Facebook Live, you can watch and follow along. Join in the social aspect of exercise by commenting during breaks between exercises. With the Zoom app, both sides can see and hear each other which can bring more accountability. Multiple virtual workouts including Zumba are available almost every day of the week!
Multiplayer Gaming
Have you found yourself with endless free time while being stuck at home? Online gaming is a great way to have fun with your friends. Here is a link to some of the most popular online games: https://parade.com/1012420/nicolepajer/best-online-games/
Share an Online Movie Night with Friends
With help from apps like Discord, Twitch, and Kast, you can set up a screen that can be shared with your friends and family! Even easier, you could pick a movie on Netflix or Amazon Prime and have everyone press play at the same time, while chatting about the movie over group text, Discord, or Slack.
Volunteer from Home and Help Food Banks
Many of us struggle with feelings of helplessness during this time and want to be there for others but unsure how to do so. Here are some links with ideas for ways to show up for your community, including helping to bring food to those in need:
- https://www.volunteermatch.org/covid19
- https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/virtual-volunteering-ways-volunteer-home-time-coronavirus-69741410
We hope some of these ideas have been helpful while we all move forward together day by day. Stay tuned for more related articles. And, as always, stay safe and be well.