A lot of people currently find themselves frustrated with the inability to hang out with their friends and loved ones. This is understandable! After all, we are social beings and we need to see other people regularly. Even if we see those who live with us on a daily basis, we tend to need more than that. Our friends, relatives, coworkers, they all are an important part of our everyday lives and we will inevitably miss them if we can’t see them. Sadly, social distancing efforts need to be maintained for a while if we really want to curb this pandemic. This is bound to affect our social gatherings for a significant future. In fact, a lot of aspects of our everyday life are going to change. With this in mind, we have come up with a few ways to keep in touch with your loved ones while the world goes back to normal.
Virtual Social Gatherings
You are probably already implementing virtual hangouts as an alternative to seeing your friends and family. FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, and other apps and social media platforms probably come to mind. These are good ways to, not just talk to each other, but actually see each other. The video component makes it a lot more comfortable and genuine than, say, a phone call would. Playing online games, streaming a movie or show, and having some food are some ways in which you can elevate the call and make it ore of a real hangout. The available technology has given us a lot of options for keeping ourselves engaged.
Maintaining Your Distance
Of course, sometimes virtual hangouts are not exactly enough. Sometimes you want to talk to someone without a screen getting in the way. Hanging out in large groups, however, is not still recommended. There are still a few ways to gather, as long as you remain responsible and thoughtful throughout. For example, you can hit up one or two friends (ideally not more than five) and meet at an open space, such a park. You can each bring a blanket and sit (at least) six feet apart from each other. Just make sure not to touch any of the same surfaces or get any closer to one another. Another option is to each get some takeout, find a large parking lot and park a reasonable distance away from each other, open your car trunks, and have a socially distant parked car picnic. This way, you can maintain a safe distance while still enjoying food and conversation together.
