With the Corona virus forcing most of us to shelter inside for the foreseeable future, it can be laughably easy to feel a disconnect from the outside world and those who live beyond the walls of our own homes. But just because we can’t physically be with one another does not mean we can’t emotionally or mentally connect. With tools that allow us to reach others from around the world instantly, we are reminded that staying healthy does not have to mean staying disconnected.
Thanks to technology, many people have been flexing their creative muscles as they discover new ways to keep in virtual touch with one another.
Marco … Polo
Created by a company called Joya communications, the Marco Polo App has been rising in popularity since the emergence of the Corona virus earlier this year. Similar to SnapChat, the app lets your send video messages that are only a few seconds long but with the added benefit of saving your videos, so you’re able to have a running conversation with your friends or family.
The New Block Party
In an age where many neighbors know each other by face rather than by name, communicating mainly through smiles and waves, the Coronavirus has allowed neighbors to become acquainted once again. So open up your garage, put your feet up in the driveway, bring a glass of wine and connect with those around you, so long as you’re at least six feet apart. Apartment living? No problem as residents prop-open their doors and discover the humans on the other side of their walls.
Online Gaming
For those who are still more comfortable with the friends they know than the neighbors they don’t, many have turned to their arsenal of online games. From classic like Monopoly and Scrabble to fan favorites like Mine-craft and League of Legends, online gaming has provided a fantastic way to check up on friends while escaping reality for an hour or two. For games that don’t come equipped with a communication system, many are tuning into Discord, a free voice and text chat app that allows you to communicate while also sharing clips, screenshots, and link.
Try out some of these methods either to deepen preexisting connections or to forge new relationships with those you only knew by face. Remember, just because we need to stay physically distant does not mean we are emotionally alone.
