5 Ways to Stay Connected with the People You Love
You may be apart from your family and friends, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be involved in each other’s’ lives. Here are five ways to keep in touch.
Maybe you’re separated from family or friends because of the pandemic or because you’re away from home for the first time. Either way, you don’t have to miss out. Keeping in touch with loved ones can be a lot of fun if you use these strategies to stay connected.
Chat Virtually
Video hangouts may not be quite the same as seeing someone in person, but you can get some surprising benefits from it. For starters, you won’t be checking your phone constantly, since you’ll likely need it to run the video chat app. That means you can have more meaningful conversations without interruptions or distractions. Plus, isn’t it fun to see all your friends in their own unique spaces?
Host a Watch Party
Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu have made it even easier to binge your favorite shows with other people, offering features that let a group of people watch and chat at the same time. Worried you’ll need a snack break? If one person pauses the video, it will stop on everyone else’s too, so you won’t miss a second. Think of it as the 2020 version of family movie night.
Join the Conversation
If you want a more low-key way to chat about pop culture with your friends, you can always hop on Twitter and live-tweet a TV show or movie premiere. It's a great way to share your passions—and you just might make some new friends online too. Some actors and movie producers have gotten in on the fun during quarantine too, announcing Twitter watch parties for movies like Happy Death Day and the latest installment of Halloween. Getting all the behind-the-scenes dirt from famous people? Yes please.
Disconnect for a Bit
Technology is an amazing tool for keeping us all connected, but sometimes it's good to take a break from it and focus on self-care (especially if you’re already online all day for work or school!). If you can, try to spend some quality offline time with the people around you, like immediate family members or roommates. One idea: Fill up your Right Pack or SuperBreak Plus with snacks and picnic supplies and head to the park together. You can respond to that text, tweet, or comment on your Instagram post later. Trust us, you’ll be glad you took the time to just hang with the people you care about.
Create a Book Club
A lot of stars have started book clubs to connect with their fans. So why not be like Reese Witherspoon and start one with your friends or relatives? You can do it over video chat or—if you live close to each other—take your meeting outside. (Just remember to fill up a Big Student bag with snacks, water, a blanket, and any other supplies you might need.) It's easy to feel isolated during these times, but reading a book together can help the distance between you disappear.
What ways are you staying connected with friends and family? Let us know on social media using the hashtag #LifeUnZipped.
By: Mandy Carr
