- Guest Contributor
- April 12, 2021
Social distancing dominated our lives through the majority of 2020, and now heading into 2021, many people feel the pain of disconnection from others. Fortunately in this age of technology, there are many things that we can do to safely stay connected to others, and even meet new people. Through online platforms and social media sites, we can maintain closeness to other people by socializing online.
Use Technology for Socializing Online
If the pandemic had happened in 1980, we’d all have spent hours on the landline, chatting it up with relatives and people in our towns. Fortunately, this pandemic has occurred in a time when we have other options available to us. Modern technology enables us to see and talk to each other, even when we can’t be together. Socializing online can help bridge the physical gap. Set up a standing FaceTime or Zoom meeting with relatives and friends you don’t get to see anymore.
Call your loved ones regularly, especially those older relatives who feel uncomfortable being around others. They’re probably feeling just as disconnected as you are. Enjoy Zoom holidays and silly events until you can meet safely in person.
Meet New People Through Online Dating Apps
Meeting people probably feels harder now. Don’t think of it as being harder, just think of it as being different. There are many online venues that are perfectly set up to help people meet others even while they’re at home.
eHarmony and Meetup are perfect examples of platforms that enable social connections, but there are others. eHarmony is an online dating app, while Meetup isn’t a dating site per se – you can make it what you want. Point being, if you’re feeling lonely, there’s an app for that.
Try Solo Hobbies – You’re Not Alone
2020 was the year of the solo hobby. Remember all those people who took up baking, and how the flour disappeared from the shelves for the entire spring? Even though those people were baking alone, they were also, in a sense, baking together. The Internet was flooded with people swapping bread stories, answering baking questions, and sharing recipes on Pinterest. Remember watching Tiger King last April? Who didn’t? You don’t have to do this all alone though, you can find people with similar interests and connect safely from your home.
Most important of all is to remember that the things you’re going through are shared experiences. You might feel alone, but you’re not. We’re all going through this together, each of us in our homes. Just like you.
About the Author: Kathryn Elwell grew up in the Midwest. She has experience in management and human resources, and has been writing on these topics and more for 12 years.
