Staying Social While Social Distancing

With the vast majority of states now under stay-at-home orders (and with many people taking precautions well before official orders came down), many of us have now been following social distancing guidelines for a month or more now. While the measures are important for limiting the spread of COVID-19, the lack of social interaction is taking its toll. I’ve been fortunate to have a group of friends that have tried to find creative ways to stay in touch while staying safe, so here are a few things we’ve found to be the most helpful and fun ways to stave off the sense of isolation.

Have an online game night. Board game nights are big in my friend group, so we’ve spent some time exploring a few options to keep up the tradition. Jackbox Games are a great option; you can buy from a huge selection of party games, share your computer screen or point a webcam at your TV, and your friends can all join in over a web browser. If you’re looking for more traditional board games, Tabletopia offers a decent selection of games you can play online with friends for free, and even more for premium subscribers.

Host an online watch party. The only thing better than watching Tiger King is getting to react to it with friends in real time. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to do that. Services like Netflix Party and Metastream let you watch some of your favorite streaming services in sync with your friends, accompanied by a text chat sidebar. Twoseven takes it a step further with video and voice chat, though its compatibility with certain streaming services is gated behind a small subscription fee.

Attend a virtual happy hour. While you may not be able to go out for a drink, you can at least partly replicate the experience. Bars and restaurants all over DC are hosting virtual happy hours, trivia nights, and even cooking classes. It’s a great opportunity to have a drink with friends (or strangers!) and maybe even learn something new.

Use this as an opportunity to reconnect with someone. This may be the most obvious one, but there really hasn’t been a better time to reconnect with someone you’ve lost touch with. In a time like this, you may particularly want to consider reaching out to your older relatives who may be feeling especially lonely and isolated.