Likely one of the most challenging things about social isolation is the lack of social interaction that you can have with others. By nature, humans are very social… even us introverts … we just don’t need it as often as others!
Thankfully, with the rise of technology, staying connected to people has never been easier. It may require a bit of adjustment, but it can be done! Here are a few ways to socially interact that might work for you!
Visit your neighbours – Current guidelines recommend that if you’re going for walks or bike rides, to do these in your neighbourhood. If you’re one of the fortunate people who have neighbours as friends, you could always “drop in” via a window and have a safe distance chat! There have even been neighbourhoods who have scheduled a weekly meet outside, where everyone grabs a lawn chair and sits on their own driveways. And let’s not forget Italy and the music and dancing from the balconies!
Text and Facetime your friends and family – This is really where technology can shine! Make a point to regularly connect with the people who are the closest to you in your life. Text, video chat, facetime. If you have a habit of grabbing coffee with your bestie once a week, schedule a video chat once a week instead, where you can both sip home brewed coffee and catch up! (And if it’s your bestie, they aren’t going to care that you’re still in pajamas and haven’t worn makeup for over a week!)
Join a Facebook Group – Facebook groups are a great way to bring together like-minded people for information sharing and chatting. Take advantage of some of the great ones that are available. There have even been some new ones that have been created in light of this pandemic! A great one to check out that is brand new is the Ultimate Online Nova Scotia Kitchen Party (COVID19 Edition) … it was created on March 19th, and already there are OVER 110,000 members!
Host a watch party – Another great feature of Facebook, likely other platforms, is the ability to host a watch party. Schedule a time for you and your friends to meet online and watch a movie together! You can chat as you watch, and spend some time together (and unlike Cineplex, your phone won’t be distracting to others!)
Online gaming – There are so many different gaming platforms, where you can play against others and have some fun! Check out Pogo, Big Fish Games, Agame, and even Facebook offers games right within their Messenger app now! If you’re on your phone, game options are even more robust!
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay