5 ways to stay social while social distancing
Can’t meet in real life? Don’t let the Circuit Breaker prevent you from keeping in touch with your friends or making new ones. Here are five ways you can stay connected while staying home.
By April Zara Chua
Humans naturally enjoy social interaction and the current COVID-19 measures are proving to be quite a challenge for some. But social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation, and there are many ways to stay connected — all you need is a little creativity. Here’s how you can continue with your social life during the extended Circuit Breaker period.
Have a virtual movie night
Can’t go to the movies for your usual movie night? No worries. Thanks to Netflix Party, you and your friends can still bond as you watch the same movie or show together. Netflix Party is a Chrome browser extension that synchronises Netflix video playback and adds a group chat to it. Setting up a watch party is easy and the extension is free, all you need is a Netflix account.
Have coffee together over video chat
Need a break from working from home? Schedule a coffee break together and have it via video chat. Treat it as you would a coffee break session IRL and catch up with one another: ask about their day, how they’ve been coping, and perhaps discuss new activities you can do together in person when all this is over. These quick virtual coffee breaks are a great way to lift spirits and can act as pick-me-up sessions to break the monotony of working from home.
Order food and have it delivered to them
Food deliveries are still in operation and there’s no better way to send someone some TLC than with good food. There are a number of cafes and restaurants which are now offering islandwide delivery, so it’s also a good time to sample new cuisines and dishes. Simply check your food delivery app and see what’s available in their area.
Have a virtual karaoke session
Miss those KTV sessions? Well, you can still sing your hearts out via a number of virtual karaoke apps. Apps like 全民 Party even give singers a score after each song and Smule is famous for having celebrity singers like Ed Shereen and Jessie J randomly duet with users.
Join a virtual event
Just because you’ve been staying in doesn’t mean you can’t go to social events. To adapt to the current circuit breaker measures, a number of events have gone online. You can look out for virtual events like the ones listed below.
Online events to check out:
A Virtual Night with Werewolves by LetsGaiGai
When: Friday, 15 May 2020
Time: 7pm – 9:30pm
Back by popular demand is the Werewolves (狼人杀)-themed virtual dating event done through online gaming. It’s a test of wits and strategy as participants battle it out as they play either a Werewolf, Hunter, Villager or a Witch. The game will be facilitated by experienced game host and matching will be done by dating practitioners in Mandarin.
WE ARE ONE: A Global Film Festival by Tribeca and YouTube
When: Friday, 29 May 2020 – Sunday, 7 June 2020
Watch live streams of curated films in this 10-day digital film festival co-organised by YouTube and over 20 film festival from across the world. Sit back and enjoy as the organisers bring a collection of films right to your home. The online event is free but is also a fundraising drive to support the World Health Oganisation (WHO) and local organisations in their COVID-19 relief efforts. Subcribe to their YouTube channel to get the latest updates on the lineup.