Well…(insert swear word here), life is quite different these days. Unfortunately, this social distancing needs to be our new normal for the foreseeable future. COVID-19 is like nothing we have experienced as a modern society before. Making the sacrifices we are right now is for the greater good as a society, it’s for our health. But man, it is hard. Something that has brought light into my life is watching how people are thinking outside the box to connect with loved ones and friends.
If we’re being honest, a silver lining to this sucky situation is that quarantine life is providing an opportunity for us to reconnect and talk to our family and friends more than we would normally. I know this has been true for me. I’ve FaceTimed, group texted and checked in with my folks more the past 2 weeks than I have probably ever! It doesn’t need to be all doom and gloom. If you’re getting tired of talking to your partner, yourself or your pet, try some of these creative ways to stay in touch with others!
Stay Connected, at a distance
One positive throughout the past few weeks is seeing how people creatively using technology we are so fortunate to have in order to keep in touch with loved ones at a distance. Here are some of my favorite ideas to keep in touch.
Morning emoji check-in’s
My mom, sister and I have a group chat going where we check in each morning either by sending a meme or an emoji for how we’re feeling. Most of the time it’s light-hearted and funny, we gotta find time to laugh at ourselves here. Other times, when we need a serious pick me up it’s nice to have them there to offer a laugh even if it is through text. Start sending your friends a message in the morning “checking in” with an emoji about how you’re feeling, and ask them to return the favor!
Virtual happy hour
Have those girlfriends who, because of the distance you don’t get to see often? Well, guess what! Technology makes it super easy to connect with your girls “face to face.” My best friends and I recently met for a virtual happy hour. We picked a day and time, poured our favorite beverages and caught up on FaceTime for almost 2 hours! It was exactly what my heart needed. If you don’t have an Apple device you can use apps like Skype, Google Hangout, or Google Duo to video chat.
Write letters
When all else fails, go back to the basics. Ever put off sending a card to someone because you “don’t have enough time?” Well, guess what?! That excuse is not valid anymore. Pick up a pen and paper, and send your loved ones some old fashioned snail mail. It will warm both their hearts and yours.
Host a virtual game night
Get creative with this! Your friends and family are stuck at home too. Pick a time to hose game night virutally. Here’s how:
- Play over video chat. Pick a game both parties have and set up a time to video chat. You’ll have to hold up your move to the screen so each party can move the game piece on their board, but even with these extra steps you’ll still have a blast and make new memories.
- Play online. There are several ways to play games with friends online, allowing you to stay in touch while social distancing, from apps to game subscription services. Here are a few of my favorite options:
- Cards Against Humanity Online
- Pogo.com, online game catalog
- Facebook has a ton of games online, including one of my favorites…Uno!
Book Club or Bible Study
Time to read that book you’ve been eyeing! Pick a book and gather some girlfriends. Each of you has to come up with a question or topic relating to the book to discuss when you finish. The same can be done for Bible Studies. My small group is reading through a book in the bible right now. We are meeting virtually to discuss our reading.
Need some book club inspo? Check out these podcasts. They have book club themed episodes where the hosts discuss a book, and some episodes even feature the author!
Compete in the kitchen
Have you seen those “see one send one” challenges going around that involve either pushups or shots of alcohol? Well, let’s up the ante…challenge your friends to a cookoff. Pick a recipe that has easy to find ingredients and challenge your friends to make it. Of course, you’ll need to determine the winner without tasting each other’s dishes but maybe you can hash it out over social media by having friends “vote” on whose dish looks better. Get creative! Regardless, it will be a fun way to cook “together” and try something new.
I never realized how much our happiness and fulfillment comes from the human connection until the freedom to visit with family and friends was taken away. When this is all over, may we never take for granted the time we have with those we love, and never stop appreciating that we have the privilege to travel someplace new, drive a car to visit your parents, walk with a friend in the park, or shake a strangers hand upon meeting them.
Did this post give you ideas on how to stay in touch with loved ones? Share it with others!
Want more?
Need help on how to keep things fun with your significant other? Check out these reviews I’ve done for Date Night In Box. This service will ship everything you need to have a fun date in! They even include recipes for a themed dinner relating to the date that you and your significant other can cook together. We’ve really loved our Date Night In Boxes and I still stand by and recommend this to anyone looking for a cute date idea.
