The Coronavirus pandemic has affected every part of our lives ranging from education and work to weddings. When the only way to ‘beat’ a virus is to isolate yourself from the world it can be hard, and for some, detrimental to their mental health. That’s why it is so important to maintain an active social life, albeit virtually.
Yes, the distinct lack of nights out is difficult. There are many points in the week where all I want is to be in Coppers with my best friends after one too many gins, but in the interest of health and safety and protecting our loved ones, not to mind ourselves, that nightclub dream will have to be put on hold. As crass as it may sound, in our current technological age there has never been a better decade for a global pandemic to strike. Thanks to the internet it is nearly impossible for you to not be able to connect with people. It’s all about putting in the effort.
A well-known way to remain social online is with a weekly or bi-weekly Zoom quiz. If you had asked me a year ago what ‘Zoom’ was, I probably would have said a feature on a camera or the sound a particularly fast car makes. Today it is impossible to not have used Zoom at least once. You can have themed nights where everyone has to dress up, themed quizzes, and indeed themed drinks. Zoom quizzes can be short and sweet or last well into the night and well into a bottle of wine but they are a sure way to connect with friends and lift your spirits.
In December 2019 there were a cool 10 million people using Zoom daily and as of April this year that number had jumped to 300 million, according to Cloudwars.com. If it is not a habit of yours to have a quiz with your friends via Zoom, then make it one. You won’t regret it.
Another option to connect with friends or family is the relatively still unused Netflix Party. This extension to your Google Chrome allows you to watch something on Netflix or Disney Plus at the same time as your friend or beau and you can even live chat together. Perfect for that much needed date night.
There has never been a better time to get into online dating. Seriously. If you’ve had a string of bad Tinder dates or have never touched the app, give it another go! With the lack of a social scene, everyone is turning to dating apps such as Tinder, Grindr, Bumble and eHarmony. There have never been more fish in the sea to choose from so if you’re feeling lonely make a profile and start swiping.
Many celebrities have turned to dating apps in the past such as Hillary Duff, Rebel Wilson, and Eminem. Zac Efron even made a Tinder account although nobody swiped right on him, “They thought it was a fake account,” he admitted to Elle magazine.
There are a plethora of apps and websites at your disposal. The reliable such as FaceTime, Snapchat, and WhatsApp are there and it’s up to you to be creative. If your weekly Zoom quizzes are getting taxing try ‘PowerPoint nights’ where everyone makes a PowerPoint and shares their screen. Some of my favourites that I’ve seen are “Rating Disney Dads on how hot they are”, “ Evolution of Justin Bieber and what Justin my friends would sleep with” and “Recasting Twilight with my roommates”. The possibilities are endless and if all else fails, Tinder will always be there to welcome you home. Your Zac Efron could be waiting.