How many of us are tired of self isolation? Tired of feeling lonely? We don’t want to stare at our white walls any longer with no end in sight! But wait – what if I get infected? Is it safe outside? Are my friends infected and don’t know it? Am I infected and am I a risk to others? Maybe I should stay inside… And another 2 weeks with the same old habits begin and just slowly we all turn crazy.
Let’s stop being dramatic. I have good news for all of us! We no longer need to stalk our neighbors through our lovely windows just to get a tiny bit of social contact. With the following 10 tips you can boost your social life and maybe even start new friendships!
1. Spend time with your family:
Yes, it’s obvious but honestly do we really use the time to improve our family relationship? There is no better moment to spend time with your loved ones and if you even live with them you can have physical contact too! Hug your mom, invite your siblings to a nice round of Monopoly or surprise your lover with a nice breakfast in bed. This is the time to conquer problems, fight fears and to cry together over sad movies! Before we complained we never had enough time. Well now we do have the time! No more excuses.
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2. Watch movies online with your friends or strangers
Of course nowadays it is easy to share your screen and to watch movies with your friends (per Skype, Discord).Choose a film based on both of your interests, get snacks and a comfy pj and laugh your heart out. If you are interested in watching movies with strangers – more like a cinema setting you can check out filthy casual! Usually one person is sharing a movie and you can watch it. You can communicate with the other movie watchers by writing in the chat right next to it! But please be aware that not all movies are appropriate for children!
3. Joining a Discord Server:
Joining a Discord Server: Now, I have mentioned Discord earlier – why not share some more information about it? Discord is a desktop application and only requires the creation of an account. In general it is a great way to share one’s interests with others. If you look online for Discord servers you will find a big variety of opportunities. Studying languages, gaming even groups for gardening can be found! Just search discord and your interest on google and apply and join a server of your choice (of course you can apply to more than one) . Next you can chat and even call with people who share the same hobby with you. And the best? It’s free, international and a great way to make friends during this pandemic. Also, you can always invite your friends and share this moment together.
4. Start or Join a Facebook group:
If you don’t want to download a program you can always use Facebook instead. Facebook also offers a big amount of different groups and is (depending on the group) easier to join. People are also very friendly and it is definitely a way to make new friends. Just like Discord- Facebook is free, but you have to register an account. Also, you can always invite your friends to a group and share great moments together. The advantage of Facebook is that you can share moments on your profile, you can read the news, check local but also international events (hopefully happening soon), chat with complete strangers (please be careful!) and even support individuals or businesses. If you are not ready to talk with a person or a whole group you can still exchange voice messages to hear another person’s voice! Are you sick of quarantine? Join a group or even better – start your own one!
5. Build your Social Media!
Yes, I am talking about Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok and so on. Social Media is booming right now- everyone is online to connect to as many people as they can. And you should too! Building your social media account does not mean trying to be famous but instead you should focus on networking. Build good relationships with people you like, who you can support, who share the same mindset. It does not only make you more productive during quarantine if you choose the right people, but it also makes you feel more social and even increases your social skill, Also you can see how others handle their self isolation and maybe even get the motivation to start a new project or be more creative!
6. Taking Online Classes
You probably are curious how learning should help with being more social. Especially if you are a student and you know that mostly we don’t connect with anyone anymore as classes are either recorded or students are absolutely quiet with no camera and no microphone on. If you can choose to do a course voluntarily I would definitely recommend you to look for an interactive course. No matter if learning programming, sewing or cooking- if you choose the right course you can talk with your fellow students and connect in an easy way. Also, you can create wonderful friendships even after completing the course! Just see the learned knowledge as a plus 😉
7. Joining HelloTalk or get a Tandem Partner:
You are a language learner but don’t want to pay money? No problem! You can always download the app Hellotalk or get a Tandem Partner! Both are great ways to connect with people and to increase your language skill. Just remember: The internet can be a scary place. Don’t put yourself in unnecessary, dangerous situations by meeting strangers in weird places! The advantage of getting friends over a language learning plattform is that you also learn new facts about a different culture and maybe even find yourself attracted to a new lifestyle! Why not craft some travel plan for when this virus is finally over?
8. Get a Penpal Partner:
I know it seems complex with all the letter and sticker shopping and then sending it off: Why can’t we just find friends online? If you are a penpal friend you will already know why it is so fascinating to write letters instead. I had my first and last penpal friend when I was 10 years old – don’t ask me how I found that boy 300km away because there is no way I can remember that. But I for sure know that it was amazing. Not only that you have this rush of excitement every time you receive a letter – but as you also don’t know the person (at least at the beginning) it is always mixed with curiosity as you don’t know what the person wrote next. Yes, it could be dangerous if you hand your address to the wrong person, but you can always look up a safe penpal site with verified users to avoid any troubles. Just a tip: every penpal is happy for small extras, like stickers, drawings or even a picture if you know each other better! It may be more time consuming but at the end you have the actual proof in your hands and I will promise you that crafting letters is more fun than you think!
9. Games Games Games
Oh, yes – I can’t wait for the comment of my sister once she reads through this article. But to be quite frank – gaming helps to be more socially active! And it’s fun! Of course you do not have to play shooters like GTA or Rainbow 6 Siege but just any game that can connect you to the outer world will work. Games nowadays have a push-to talk button where you can talk with the person playing with you (stranger or friend). For example Arma 3 Tanoa Life: The game is about creating a character on an island whereby all the regulations and rules are based on the players. You can choose to be a policewoman and fight other players who choose to go the criminal road, be a reporter or a diver. The reason why I mentioned this game is the fact that it offers you a virtual world whereby the gameplay is more based on real life (lets ignore the weapons, ladies). Of course you can also play survival games, strategic games even board games online. Or if you prefer to watch: Just follow a gameplayer on twitch – the community is always welcoming and friendly (at least from those who I know).
10. Join a Virtual Event:
Not a fan of gaming and preferring the real world? No problem! While everyone is quarantined in most parts of the world- artists and creators came up with a new idea: virtual events. It doesn’t matter if it’s the concert of your favorite singer, pride, cosplayers or sport events. Many scenarios are filmed and shared live through platforms like Youtube, Twitch or Facebook (feel free to add more platforms in the comments!) Buy your fan merch, wave your lighter and watch your next BTS concert virtually! Same goes for your favorite sports events: Grab a beer,the football scarf of your favorite team and throw yourself in your favorite seat when watching the long awaited football game.
We don’t need to live like the world is on pause now. Due to all the technical improvements and developments we had over the past years we can combine our quarantine with other people. With things we enjoy doing or seeing.
At the end it is our own choice what we do during the Corona pandemic. I just hope you aint giving up. Work hard and use every second given.
Bad times like this won’t stop us from connecting with others and to improve our lives.
IF you want to improve your life during the lockdown – don’t forget to check out our other posts!
Stay healthy and we post again on Saturday!
Have a great week
Carina and Julia 🙂
