I’m going a little crazy while social distancing. The closest human interactions I’ve been getting these past three weeks have been my Zoom classes and TikTok POVs. While FaceTiming or texting friends is always an option, it’s nothing compared to seeing them in person. And I’m definitely not the only one feeling this way. I’ve seen so many people on social media coming up with creative ways to “hang out” with friends, including fun activities to do together virtually.
Guess what I’ll be doing this weekend? If you’re feeling a little too distant from your friends while social distancing, try one of these virtual ideas below.
- Sip’n’Paint
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It turns out that Zoom is good for something other than classes. Grab a bottle of wine, gather your canvases and start painting with friends! Paint whatever you want, or find an image you can all copy and make your own versions of.
- Netflix Party
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Netflix Party is a Chrome extension that lets you and your friends watch Netflix together in real time, and there’s a group chat on the side that allows you to talk to your friends while you watch. Tiger King round 2, anyone?
- Cards Against Humanity
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Miss card games? Play the iconic game online with up to six friends here. Just start the game and send the corresponding link to your friends!
- Monopoly
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Since you’ve got a lot of time on your hands, there’s no better moment to play Monopoly! Play online with friends here. The best part? An automated property management and bank will ensure no one’s up to any Monopoly trickery.
- Trivia
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While the virtual victory might not be as sweet, use any video conference platform to play trivia with your friends. Using Kahoot, establish a large group of questions for everyone to answer. They can be about anything — Harry Potter, pop culture or even your life! Simply send the Kahoot link to everyone playing and enjoy.
- Presentations
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Maybe this should come before the trivia. After sitting in your Zoom classes all week, why not teach something new? Have your friends each pick a random topic to make a presentation on, and share screens through any video conference platform to present. You can rate them after in categories like most informative, best presentation, etc.
- Pass It Along
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One of my middle school favorites, this game is all about creating a story together, one sentence at a time. Start with an opening sentence, then pass it off to another friend who will add the next sentence. The story doesn’t end until someone stops adding. You can be as serious or as funny as you want! For an added element, record the story and listen back afterward to hear how ridiculous it was.
- Heads Up
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As long as someone has the app Heads Up, you and your friend group can play through Skype, Google Hangouts, FaceTime or Zoom. For added fun, try splitting up into teams or playing by certain categories.
- Bingo
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Classic bingo is fun, and easy to play virtually. For added personality, though, I recommend making your own bingo boards with friends. If you’re watching a movie on Netflix, for example, you and your friends could make bingo boards corresponding with the movie. Winner gets to pick the next movie!
- Cooking Club
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Take your laptop to the kitchen and get cooking. Send out the same recipe to all your friends, then call them while you’re all cooking. See who has the best end result and rate your masterpieces by taste, texture, smell, presentation and more. Gordon Ramsay who?
Really, any game can be made virtual with a little imagination. Start planning with friends on which virtual activity you’ll be doing first.