Don’t Let Covid-19 Kill Your Social Life

We got started with the remote work, on-line classes, and virtual happy hours. This is all necessary to flatten the curve. Everyone’s routine is upended. The whole world is in this together and we are going to make this work!

Ok- that was week #1. How many more hours do we need to stare at our screen (computer and phone) for social interaction? Schools and restaurants are closed indefinitely. AMC is closed for 6–12 weeks.Covid-19 is here to stay for a while. After hitting “pause” to our social life, we need to figure out when we can click on play again. A cornerstone study reveals why we need to connect socially to stay healthy physically and mentally.

What options do we have besides staying home? 6 months is a long time.

What we can’t do -No more going out to eat, movies, concerts, sports. No more Evites to parties, Meetup group events, or getting tickets for anything on Eventbrite. Don’t even think about sending that text or email about getting people together. You may be socially shamed for failing to practice social distancing. Besides, you don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.

What we’ve been doing -More time on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. We also have Google Hangouts, Discord, Facetime, and Skype. Virtual everything, even doctors are on board. I can’t wait to see how my dentist is going to clean my teeth on Zoom.

What we can do differently over time- For now, you can continue to plan virtual events on Festi. Read more on how to fight boredom and loneliness during the homestay. Over time we need to find a happy medium between isolation and large crowds. Some states are banning gatherings of 10 or more people. The rules and regulations of social distancing are changing daily.

When the time is right (and legal), try getting together in a different way. Make virtual plans, or see who’s making them and book to join them.

Try posting activities on Festi and you can easily limit the size of the gathering and avoid social shaming.

You only hear back from people who want to get together. No one needs to make excuses for not attending or explain why they are uncomfortable about getting together. You can close your event as “full”(even with just 1 person). Extend it to more people over time (we hope). You can even put an anti-COVID19 emoji on your profile page to let everyone know that you’re healthy. When serologic tests become more widely available we can even use the anti-COVID19 emoji to let people know if we’re safe to be around.

When it is safe and legal, here are some ideas.

Outdoor activities: Post going for a walk in the neighborhood, bike ride, or hike. As the weather gets nicer, post outdoor picnics (sit on separate blankets).

Home activities: I see friends posting virtual dance classes, yoga classes, cooking, consulting, and Q&A sessions on something you know. If you have a talent or skill or time, be creative and post a virtual class- and invite your friends to join. You can even charge for your virtual class on Festi if you want to.

Festi exists to help bring people together. Before the pandemic, Festi was like a “newsfeed” of things to do with people you know. Instead of a party for 20, it’s now a virtual happy hour and eventually, we can make it dinner with 1. With so much uncertainty in the upcoming weeks and months, connecting with people around you is good for the soul.

One day, when we are done with Covid-19, we’re going to look back on how every event helped us build a stronger community. As a side benefit, you’re going to have your network of friends on Festi to continue to take walks, have coffee, go on hikes, bike rides, and eat dinner. When that day comes, we can say “the more the merrier” once again.

Check Times. for news and updates about flattening the curve. To follow confirmed Covid-19 cases, here’s the Coronavirus update from CDC.