For those of us who are extroverts, inspired and rejuvenated by a lot of time spent hanging out with our friends, family and loved ones, social distancing on top of our anxiety over covid-19 can seem overwhelming. Here are ways to stay healthy and connected as an extrovert as we all do our part….by staying apart.
It’s not the dark ages—you still have a cellphone
Covid-19 has not: made Snapchat disappear, limited your ability to call your grandmother once a week or inhibited your texting skills. Reach out! Your friends will appreciate it and it will keep you from going stir crazy as social distancing continues in the weeks to come.
Zoom is not just for online classes
Many of us have already downloaded the free application Zoom for our newly online classes, but there’s no reason Zoom can’t be used to hang out with groups of friends, too. Simply schedule a meeting and send the invite link to your best mates. Houseparty, Google Hangouts, Skype, Google Duo and FaceTime are other fun video chat apps you should try.
You can still watch netflix with your pals
If like me, you wish you could list Netflix as a hobby on your resume, then you need to add the Netflix Party extension to your Google Chrome browser ASAP. I tried it out with my mom, and it was honestly really fun. We could chat while our show kept playing and if one of us paused the show, it paused the show for both of us.
Game time
Feel like you have nothing to do this weekend? Grab your phone to play a game with all of your friends. Games like Fortnite, PUBG, Words with Friends 2, UNO, and more are online and allow you to connect and play with friends. Check out this article by Nicole Pajer for more ideas on finding games that are anything but solitary.
Get a long distance work out buddy
Trying to stay in shape at home? There is a myriad of fitness apps out there for every budget and all goals. Many apps have social or competitive aspects to keep you connected and motivated. Technology can also be used to keep in touch with workout buddies. See this article from Women’s Health to learn more. Never had a workout buddy but need help staying accountable now that you can’t go to your gym? Just ask a friend or a family member! Many are adjusting their work out strategies as social distancing continues.
Make a schedule
Yes, it sounds really weird and forced but hear me out. Remember how you used to always chat with your bestie after your chem lab? Or how you caught up with your roommate over dinner? You probably didn’t realize it, but there was a pattern to when you socialized and hung out with your friends. You didn’t notice because it just happened naturally when you were in close proximity. Most likely you didn’t even have to think about it. But now you do, and a little scheduling will go a long way to feeling connected during social distancing. Ask your BFF for a new time that works now that you don’t have chem lab together every week. Curl up with a bowl of spaghetti and video call your roommate to chat if you guys have left campus or are staying with family.
Stay in and stay calm
This is a weird, scary time. By social distancing, you’re doing everything you can for the health of your community and the country but as an extrovert this may be taking a toll. With the above resources, though, there’s no reason every day can’t be as full of laughs, inside jokes and comradery as it was before social distancing.