god i miss my friends. i miss my friends sooo damn much. before the quarantine i was always around my friends or my partner. i barely spent any time alone. when i first came home it was really difficult to socialize in the same way that i used to before. instead of people constantly being around me, i actually had to seek out those opportunities for myself. sometimes it can feel really lonely because you feel like you're the one reaching out. but i've found a lot of creative and fun ways to socialize during quarantine...
here are just a few ways to chill with your friends during this crazy time–
1. watch something together: viewing Netflix with a friend there virtually beside you is so much fun! you can chat or talk to each other while the show or movie is playing and it really makes the viewing feel like you're hanging out. the best way to watch something in real time together is to start a Zoom chat and then share the screen. binge a new tv show or put on a classic film!
2. become a pen pal: send letters to your friends the old fashioned way! collect your friend's address and write them letters, print pictures they can hang up on their walls, or send little homemade gifts you can put in an envelope. super cute and you'll have these letters in your possession forever.
3. play a drinking / smoking game: since im hella sober (for health reasons) rn i cant be doin this but YOU guys certainly can. watch Too Hot to Handle and take a hit every time they say Sex or Lana. ask each other trivia and drink whenever the other gets it wrong. make a game up or find a fun one online to play.
4. play an online board game: my mom loves playing Words With Friends and it's literally the quarantine edition of Scrabble. hop on a board game app and play your individual friends virtually! you can even create a virtual prize like sending the winner some paypal shmoney or something to amp up the stakes.
5. cook something together: every week i've been learning how to cook a recipe from my grandma and it's actually been so much fun. she has fun talking to me and i love chatting and learning something new from her! plus, making a new recipe makes me feel like i completed a task and really accomplished something that day even if it's as little as that. if only you could share food through the screen :_(
6. do a craft together: a girl friend of mine told me she's been working on making bracelets during quarantine to pass the time and i would LOVE to learn how to do that too. hop on FaceTime and have a friend teach you a new crafty skill. you can even send them to each other by mail when you're all done!
7. share a playlist: i lowkey forgot just how much music i would listen to around my friends in college. sharing music is such an easy way of connecting and showing your friends what you've been listening to recently. put together a quarantine playlist for your friends depending on their individual tastes or just share with them what you've been into.
8. meditate together: put on a guided meditation to do together or use the Insight app and set a timer for a silent meditation. knowing someone is on the other end can make you feel really supported during this time. it's incredibly important to destress rn. before you start, share your mindfulness goals with your friend. then check in on how it went at the end :)
9. car date: for my friends in the burbs... this one's for you! grab some coffee (curb side pick up of course) and sit in your cars and chit chat while parked next to each other! ofc keep ample distance and wear a mask if you desire. it'll give you reason to get out the house AND you can see a friend as safely possible IRL!
some general tips
- If you haven't caught up with a friend in forever, it's OK to reach out now. Don't feel like you're a bad person. When I haven't spoken to someone for a while it can feel like... how the fuck do I even start? But that is just negative thoughts talking. That's your friend! They love you at the end of the day and you'll be surprised, the convo will just pick up right where you left off.
- Take as long as you need. I was really depressed at the beginning of quarantine. For a bunch of reasons. Don't feel like you have to rush into socializing or something just because a lot of other people are. Take your time with it. I've been reaching out to friends that I haven't spoken to as much a little bit every single day and that's been great. Pace yourself.
- It's FINE to make the first move. A lot of people are honestly just as nervous / insecure as you are. It can be really annoying to feel like you are always the one who is reaching out to your friends. Especially during quarantine. But guess what? Literally everyone feels the same way you do... It's totally fine to FaceTime people first. Text friends when you feel like it. Send them multiple texts in a row when you want to. That's your friend for christ sake! They don't give a shit! And if they do they are definitely not worth it!
i hope you guys can use some of these quarantine hangout ideas to make your life rn a liiiiittle more fun. we are all feeling the struggle but it's great to find new and fun creative ways of chilling with the homies. know you are LOVED and NOT alone.
best of luck
xox
Eva
