Life has become immensely difficult to navigate since the COVID-19 pandemic and for the past eight months we have all been adjusting to a completely new way of living. Everything in our lives that used to be normal–work, school, and friendships–has done a complete 180-degree flip. It seems like every aspect of our lives now takes double or triple the energy to navigate. Maintaining friendships during a global pandemic is definitely not easy, especially if you rarely get to see that person or people. Here are some tips that can hopefully help you better navigate your friendships during the pandemic.
- Scheduling time for them
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Scheduling time for a friend is always a given, but it is really necessary to do this when you can rarely see them in person. Scheduling time for a friend doesn’t just mean taking a break from whatever you’re doing to text them back quickly, it means taking time out of your day to be present and focused on them. A great idea is to facetime one another, and do it often! This will allow you two to feel like you’re actually with one another, while still remaining safe & distanced.
- Go the extra mile
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When your only method of communication with a friend is through text or phone calls, it can be easy for misinterpretation to occur. For example, your friend might text you something and you might interpret it through one tone of voice while they intended for a completely different tone. This can easily cause strains on friendships and relationships, so going the extra mile to show your friend how much you miss them and care for them can mean a lot. Whether you send them cookies from Insomnia or drop off iced-coffee for them in the morning one day, the smallest gesture can go the longest way.
- See one another & stay distanced
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We’re at a point in time where we know how to safely see our friends, if everyone feels comfortable doing so. This is a really good idea if you haven’t seen your friend in a long time or if you’re feeling down and need a pick-me up. Some things you can safely do together are take a walk or get coffee or food together. You might be surprised at how happy you will feel after seeing that friend who you haven’t seen in a while–it’s an instant serotonin boost.
Life is really hard right now, and every aspect of it has gotten ten times harder. It can be really easy to lose friendships or that close bond that you had with someone, but putting in the extra effort can make a world of a difference. Schedule time for your friend, show them that you care about them, and try to see them when you can! We have to learn to live in this new and scary life, but if you work hard at it, things will become easier for you.