Quarantine’s got us all messed up. No coffee shop studying, no lunch table ranting about classes, no spring season for sports and extracurriculars; some of us don’t even know what day it is! One thing that this new and different time should change, though, is our connection with friends. Especially in these times, we need our friends to destress and build us back up. So, without further ado, here are 6 ways to freshen up our online contact.
1 // brilliant bracelets
It’s time to crack open the bead bin from first grade! Although a blast from the past, I find that friendship bracelets can be a great accessory to an outfit. Add in letter beads and some inside jokes and you’re set for a great “thinking of you’ gift. Whether you bead or knot, making these bracelets is perfect for quarantine. It’s a great activity to do while binging your favorite shows, streaming new music, listening to podcasts, immersing yourself into an exciting audio book, watching video lessons for your classes, or even when you soak up the sun in your backyard.
2 // zesty zoom meetings
Whether you prefer zoom, face time, google meet, or anything in between, physically seeing your friends is definitely a moral-booster. It’s nice to have a conversation just like you would normally around a lunch table or in the halls. Want some fun ideas to enhance video chats? Here’s some of my favorites:
Presentation party: If you haven’t already seen this on tiktok, all you do is have everyone make a persuasive slideshow on any topic and give the presentations! Odd topics lead to some great laughs.
Blind rant: This is quite simple. Someone chooses a “victim” and gives them a random topic to rant about. If they last 2 minutes (or longer if your group is more confident), they earn a point. First to five points win! An extra challenge is to have a random word picker give the topics.
Scavenger hunt: This is such a fun idea that can be done multiple ways. All you have to do is find something around your house that matches a prompt. These can range from “find something green” to “find something that reminds you of an embarrassing moment”. It’s sure to pave the way into funny stories and some healthy competition!
Race: Although this is sort of like the scavenger hunt, you can pretty much make it anything you want. Race to do anything: build a fort, name 5 fruits, or get your pet to sit next to you, just to name a few.
Book club: Choose some friends, a book (make sure it’s accessible to everyone), and start a book club! Not only will this give you a mandatory time to talk to your friends, but the book will be there to cure quarantine boredom.
Themed meetings: Bringing themes to your friendly meetings is a fun way to get you out of sweats (maybe). Just add a “theme” to your video call. For example, text your friends that they should come to the meeting in beach attire, their fanciest clothes, or even dressed as a celebrity. The choices are endless!
3 // snail mail surprise
Now that we’re contained to our homes, it’s safe to say that many of us are spending the days with fingers stuck to a keyboard. Why not take a break from technology and reach out to friends at the same time? Take a sheet of paper from a notebook and write a letter to someone. It doesn’t need to be anything formal, just write things like what you’re feeling, what you miss about them, what you’ve been doing, media recommendations, and even doodles! Slip the finished note into an envelope, address it, and feel free to decorate that as well. Extra credit if you stuff the envelope with glitter before you seal it for a lovely surprise!
4 // challenge club
Have a bunch of free time and have nothing to fill it with? This is the solution! Get a group of friends together and a calendar. For everyday, come up with a “challenge”. Challenges can be anything from making shadow puppets to drawing a self portrait blindfolded. They are more like a task to do everyday. Once you do it, share it with your friends. Whoever does the most by the end of quarantine wins something: either a prize, or an outing!
5 // delightful ding-dong-ditch
I’m sure you all have seen this in action online or in your life already, but that doesn’t mean you can hop on the trend as well. Prepare a care package for a friend. It can include pretty much anything: candy, coloring pages, notes, stickers, or snack, just to name a few. When it’s all done, drive it (or take a walk) to your friends house and ding-dong-ditch them! Make sure you either let them see you retreat from the scene or send them a text so they don’t freak out. Who knows, maybe it will start a chain of ding-dong-ditching.
6 // gaming get together
Although it may sound lame, playing video games with others is a great way to have fun while staying in touch. Find some games you both play (or get together the whole squad) and go crazy. You don’t even have to be good at any of the games! There’s tons of games out there that have multiplayer, so be sure to try out some new ones, too. One of my favorites so far has been the Mario Kart app and their awesome multiplayer feature.
No matter how big, crazy, or competitive your friend group is, I hope you can try out these tips to stay in touch! Staying social and being there for your friends is always important, and no matter the situation (even quarantine) should change that.