How to Beat Feeling Lonely: Ways to Connect Online During a Pandemic
I’ve been watching a show called Alone on the History channel, where they took 10 contestants and put them in a remote wilderness area and challenged them to survive. The last remaining contestant that didn’t tap out won $100,000. Most of the contestants were experts at survival and were in it for the long haul. They even managed to survive in the wilderness for a year. I was surprised by the number of contestants who tapped out because they couldn’t be alone with their own thoughts or because they missed their loved ones and had to get back to them. The first season’s winner lasted 56 days, with six of the 10 contestants dropping out in the first eight days. The majority chose to leave not because they couldn’t survive but because they couldn’t be alone. The show is on seventh season and the results are similar.
Don’t underestimate how important it is to connect with each other.
Online Places To Hangout (without social media!)
We’ve all been forced into our own quarantine version of alone, but thank goodness we can connect online during the pandemic. I’ve read a meme that said, “Imagine if this lockdown happened 18 years ago. You would be stuck at home with a Nokia 3310 with 300 texts, 100 minutes call limit, and dial-up internet.” Here are some places in 2021 we can hang out online:
HouseParty
MarcoPolo
Google Hangouts / Meets
Skype
Zoom
FaceTime
WhatsApp
Texting / Messaging
E-mail
Call Them
Do Activities Virtually
Having an activity to do together online can make things more interesting and fun, because we could all use a little more excitement in our lives these days.
Game Night (board games)
Video Games
Book Club
Workout (with a buddy or a fitness class)
Have lunch, dinner or coffee with a friend, coworker or family member.
Church
Small Group
Learn a skill together by taking an online class like water coloring or calligraphy.
Cook together. Make the same recipe.
Play Dates. The younger kiddos basically showed all their toys to each other and at one point played charades.
If you aren’t being invited to anything virtually, you can set up your own group and invite others to join.
Other Ways to Connect
You can get creative with connecting with others — virtual isn’t the only way to go in quarantine.
Write Letters (like a pen pal) or thank-you notes.
Make things (food, art, craft, soap, etc.) And leave them on loved ones doorstep or mail it to them. This could be a care package, or for an upcoming Mother's Day or a birthday.
Plan a future trip together.
Do a drive by their house and wave to them, maybe make a sign. I’ve even seen some people throw candy, like in a parade!
Meet your neighbors! When you are taking your walks and you see your neighbors in their front yards, introduce yourself! I’ve met more neighbors in quarantine then from two years not in quarantine.
Bring in your neighbors' garbage, mow your grandma's lawn, bring friends food bags, or do other acts of service for others..
Decorate someone’s yard for their birthday.
Leave The House
Seeing your friends used to mean getting out of the house and meeting them somewhere, whether it was school, work, a coffee shop, their house, the movies, or a restaurant. A lot of what you may be missing right now is the act of leaving and going somewhere. Not getting out of the house can increase depression. Just getting out of the house (alone) can make you feel less isolated.
Go hiking. Find some trails and explore!
Hang out on your porch, deck, or balcony. Soak up some vitamin D (also known to improve mood).
Do some yard work or gardening.
Go for a scenic drive and take roads you’ve never been on.
Visit the ocean, lake or river.
This Nature RX commercial is great.