The weird world of socializing during Covid-19

Once the main method of communication for travelers, long distance couples, and the occasional remote work interviewer, now we all know what it is like to have to stay connected from afar to keep socializing during Covid-19.

The widespread availability of communication technology has played an essential role in how we have experienced this pandemic. If Covid-19 had happened in the 90s, this would have been a whole different story without even mentioning the other branches of technology outside communication.

Video calls were common before the pandemic, but they generally happened for a specific reason when in person meetups were a hassle or not possible. Now digital communication has become the norm for socializing during Covid-19.

A familiar but extreme way of life suddenly forced itself amidst us.

Apps such as Netflix party have taken the act of watching TV with your friends to the digital space, and others like the HouseParty app have made digital meetups with friend groups seamless, imbedding itself neatly into people’s quarantine routines.

At this point, most people have probably done at least one of the following things:

– Fallen asleep at a video call

– Forgot the audio or video call was active

– Stayed on a video call extensively while doing other tasks

-Done an activity online that was done physically pre-pandemic (gym classes, events, courses, meetings, friend gatherings etc…)

A positive take might be that despite a huge decrease in face-to-face communication, and video calls being no substitute for the real thing, the availability of these technologies has allowed people to stave off loneliness to an extent.

But as we jump from one lockdown to the other until the end of the pandemic is reached, it is hard to tell what the future will hold for socializing during Covid-19 and the impact that will have on our long-term future.