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What I Learned About Connection While Social Distancing

“Check on your extroverted friends, because we are not okay.”

You’ve probably seen/heard a variation of this sentence in memes and TikToks across the web these past few months. For people that get their energy by being around other people, quarantine has been tough to go through. Thankfully we have been able to still be connected to others in other ways during this time. With a little planning, and sometimes creativity, people have been able to still connect with their friends and loved ones. 

My Social Distancing Experience

Before social distancing became a common practice I was unemployed. I was used to staying at home for long periods of time. Because of this I didn’t have a difficult transition like I would have had I been regularly going out. 

That being said I still have had my struggles during this time. I felt like I had just started to make some new friends and get out of the house more right before quarantine happened. When everything shut down I felt the urge to want to go hang out with people even more. Anyone else feel that way?

It took me a bit to realize I could still connect with friends and family, I just had to do it virtually. Zoom has been very helpful for this time. I’m so grateful that, if we have to go through this difficult time, we are doing it in a time where there are so many ways to still connect with people through technology. That wouldn’t be possible years ago.

Through technology I’ve been able to catch up with friends, watch church services each week, and have conversations with people in my church community that I may not have had before quarantine.  This time in our lives may not be ideal, but we can still find some positivity. In fact, we need to focus on the positive to help us get through all of the uncertainty and fear. What can you focus on in your life that’s going well? What can you learn from this time?

My Hope For Life After Quarantine

While we all can’t wait to hug our friends, go to the movies, and leisurely Target runs, there are some things I believe we should continue after quarantine. I believe this weird time has brought back important values and truths to our attention. Here are a few of them.

  • Bring back family dinners: There is nothing better than cooking as a family, or, depending on your living situation, significant other or roommates, and then sitting down together at the table. The memories made from the dinner table are some of the best when you look back.
  • Treat service workers with respect: To be transparent I work at a service job, but this still applies to me when I go somewhere other than my work. All of the nurses, doctors, fast food workers, grocery workers, etc. have been through, and seen, a lot during this pandemic. When things get back to normal, I hope we all realize how important these people are and remain grateful for the service they provide.
  • Make time for rest, yes even you extroverts: It’s been nice to not have a never ending to-do-list and a full calendar. I think many people are discovering just how busy they’ve been and have brought rest back into their lives. Our need for rest is something we should keep in mind when life, and or to-do list, picks back up to full speed.
  • Don’t take your relationships for granted: Hug your loved ones, tell your friends you care about them, reconnect with those you’ve been thinking about; these are all things we should prioritize when this pandemic is over. 

3 Ideas For Surviving Social Distancing, While Staying Social

Many places are starting to lift their restrictions, but it is still good practice to stay home. For that reason I wanted to share some ways you can connect with people, while staying home at the same time. 

  1. Virtual Celebrations: From baby showers to birthdays, Don’t let the coronavirus stop your celebrations. It may not be like you pictured it would be, but it can still happen. Here is a great article if you need ideas.
  2. Themed FaceTimes: Who says dates, book club, and movie nights can’t happen? It will take a bit of planning. Make the best of the situation by getting together like you normally would, but virtually.
  3. Facebook Groups/Chat: Since everyone is online now, social media is more important than ever. Make use of some of the best features of these social networks and use them to connect to others. 

I hope these ideas will carry you through until quarantine is over, remember to get creative and make the most of what you can do.

What are some lessons you’ve learned during this time? Which ones will you be taking with you when life gets back to normal? Let me know in the comments below.

 

About the Author

Kelly Clark

Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.

Website: budding-joy.com