As everyone stays indoors for the remainder of Covid-19, it is important to stay in touch with friends and family. Being locked away with nothing to do and no social human interaction, here are some ways to connect with your friends and family.
Netflix parties
Gather your friends and/or family and have a nice movie night in the safety of your own homes. Google Chrome browser’s Netflix Party allows you to watch-and pause- movies or shows with your friends or family. You can enjoy a nice movie while having a group chat on the side for talking. Each member of the group has to have a Netflix account to join. An account can be shared with four other people, but share your account with trustworthy friends only! If a member does not have an account they can use Netflix’s 30 days free trial and cancel anytime!
Group FaceTime
The classic FaceTime call is perfect for catching up and seeing each other during the quarantine. Create an iMessage group chat and chat away! An oldie but a good way to stay in touch and cure your boredom.
Share screen
Many people have found ways to interact with a video chat, such as screen sharing. Using browsers like Zoom and Google Hangouts allows people to video call and the host to share their screen! Many have used this for funny video calls by replacing their backgrounds with saved photos or even doing Netflix parties this way. Click “Share Screen” in the meeting controls and select the screen to be shared. Once you have selected a screen, share the audio by clicking “Share Computer Sound”. This way you can enjoy Netflix, Youtube or any other entertainment Platform while video chatting.
Car meetings
Many teens have found ways to see each other while still practicing social distancing. One of the ways is having car meetings. Each person drives to a location and sits in a circle with their cars. They pop open their car trunks and sit inside, socializing but keeping six feet apart. Enjoy some safe, quality, human interaction but remember six feet apart and very small gatherings.
Drive-bys
On social media, it is very popular for people to have “drive-bys” at their family and friends’ houses. This refers to driving by your friend or family’s house and waving. Yes, this is a concise interaction, but it’s a sweet and safe way to say hi!
When asked how did they stay safe many of the Danbury Community had similar ways to stay connected:
Jayda Jacobs, a sophomore at Danbury High, stays connected with all her friends through social media apps, such as Snapchat and Instagram, and quality FaceTime calls, “I FaceTime my friends almost every day, and use Snapchat and Instagram a lot”
Own Phonchamreun, a fellow essential worker and mother, stays connected with friends and family through daily FaceTime calls, “I stay connected with everyone by making sure to call them. I make sure they are doing safe and are okay.”
Everyone wants this quarantine to end, and the only way is for us to stay safe. Remember to practice social distancing and wash your hands. The more we social distance the quicker we can get back out there!