Connect Virtually

Most of us can’t get together with our friends as much as we use to, we have to get creative! Being alone is not good for our health. While we have to be physically apart from our friends, that doesn’t mean we can’t connect virtually with them! Here are some neat ways to “spend time” while staying apart!

Netflix Party is a Google Chrome Extension that I love to use. I’ve heard about it before and never really tried it up until this year! If you are apart and you want to watch Netflix together, this is a neat way to do it. Of course, you’d have to do it on your laptop but I’m sure you can make a comfy spot on your bed! You create a party and everyone who joins watches what you choose. It will be synced up among the whole party so if you need to take a bathroom break, you can pause and everyone can stretch their legs! You get a chat room where you are able to share thoughts about the episode or just gossip like you would if they were sitting next to you!

Zoom and Skype have gotten super popular across the nation, but how about taking it a step further? Yes you can set up a group chat and everyone can pop in and share but why not create something together? Pick a recipe and send out the ingredient list to your friends with enough time to gather everything. Then pick a time to log in and share your experiences while cooking. This would be a super fun way to connect virtually just like you would if you were in person. Since dinner parties can’t quite happen yet, this is a fun way to do it!

In Zoom, you can also share your screen so you can pull up YouTube tutorials and have everyone follow along. I’m terrible at makeup tutorials but it would be a blast to get a bunch of friends together to see how we interpret different looks. My favorite type of YouTube videos are the “Try Not To Laugh Challenge” doing this with a Zoom chat would be very fun!

I know it’s a huge bummer not being able to spend time with people. Some states are loosening up the gathering requirements so you may be able to have intimate gatherings. However, this would be a great way for those who don’t feel safe venturing out or those who cannot travel. The importance of connecting is greater than ever. It may seem a bit weird to connect virtually but you may find that it becomes a huge stress reliever!

What are some ways you have found to connect virtually?